Flora of New Zealand Series

Ligusticum dissectum Kirk Stud. Fl. 1899, 202.

Anisotome dissecta (Kirk) Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 677.

Type locality: Mount Holdsworth, in tussock-grassland. Type: W, Arnold.

Rather stout, up to ± 4 dm. tall, with stout simple or branched stock and deeply descending taproot. Lvs up to ± 3 dm. long, coriac., ± flexible, (2)-3-pinnate. Sheath up to ± 3 cm. × 3 mm., membr.; stipules almost filiform, ± 10 mm. long, sts forked, sharply pointed; petioles 10-15 mm. long, internodes short. Primary pinnae 8-10 pairs, ± 2-5 cm. long; secondary cut into several tertiary pungent, ascending pinnules up to 25 × 1-1·5 mm. Stems of female plants stout, ± 3 dm. × 1 cm., grooved; infl. ± 15 cm. long. Bracts lflike; lower sheaths ± 3 cm. × 5 mm., with scarious margins; stipules < 10 mm. long; lamina with segs up to 3 mm. wide. Umbels 3-4 cm. diam., forming an open panicle. Peduncles distant, rather stout, spreading, ± 4 cm. long; involucral bracts linear; rays several, up to 1 cm. long. Umbellules ± 15 mm. diam., on slender short rays. Fr. ± (3)-4-5 mm. long; mericarps 5-winged.

Dist.: N. Montane to subalpine, Tararua Range.

Cockayne (Veg: N.Z. 1921, 223) used the name Anisotome dissecta, but did not make the formal new combination.