Flora of New Zealand Series

Rhizomatous perennial; stems mat-forming, c. 1 mm diam., < 25 cm long, soon rooting and covered by soil; erect branchlets < 2 cm long. Lvs 0.5-3 cm long; stipules entire; leaflets 9-15, orbicular, 1.5-4 × 1.5-4 mm, with 5-7 obtuse teeth, green or bronze and shining on upper surface, with veins and teeth dark, glaucescent and sparsely hairy on lower surface. Scape 0.7-2.5 cm long, pilose ( var. microphylla), or capitulum ± sessile ( var. pauciglochidiata); capitulum c. 5 mm diam. at flowering, < 3 cm diam. (including spines) at fruiting; florets c. 20 ( var. microphylla), or 2-4 ( var. pauciglochidiata); sepals 4; stamens 2; anthers white; styles 2, white; achenes 2. Fr. turbinate, c. 2 × 2 mm, glabrous; spines 4, pink or crimson, < 15 mm long, smooth ( var. microphylla) or with a few stiff hairs at tip ( var. pauciglochidiata).

N.: Volcanic Plateau, Kaimanawa Mountains, Maungaharuru Range, E. Kaweka Range ( var. microphylla); S.: Otago Peninsula, Southland coast; St.: between Ruggedy and Hellfire ( var. pauciglochidiata Bitter).

Endemic.

Grassland and river terrace ( var. microphylla), coastal gravel and sandy ground ( var. pauciglochidiata).

FL Nov-Jan FT Jan-Apr.

An entity currently included here, but with olive green leaflets not shining as in A. microphylla, is confined to the N.W. Ruahine Range and deserves taxonomic recognition.