Alstroemeria pulchella L.f.
Herbaceous perennial; tubers fleshy, in dense clusters. Stems of two kinds: short, to 15 cm high, non-flowering (sterile) with loose clusters of leaves above; taller, stouter, flowering, to 60 cm high, with leaves evenly dispersed. Leaves thin, dull green, many-nerved, midrib ± indistinct, obtuse; leaves of sterile stems elliptic, c. 6 × 2 cm, petioles to 2.5 cm long; leaves of flowering stems ± linear, recurved, c. 4 × 1-1.5 cm, petioles 2-3 mm long. Umbel simple, flowers 4-8 surrounded by a whorl of leaf-like bracts, similar to leaves flowering stem but smaller; rays c. 1 cm long. Flowers c. 5 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm diam., dull rosy-red tipped with green and cream, streaked with brown inside; segments all shortly apiculate, with minute hairs on margins of claws, inner whorl unequal, lower segment markedly shorter. Capsule green, c. 1.5 × 1.5 cm, longitudinally 6-ribbed, with smooth apiculate cap.
N. North Auckland-Kerikeri, Whangarei; Hawkes Bay-Waipukurau. Under hedgerows, etc.
(S. America; Brazil)
First record:‡
First collection: "Whangarei, cultivated land, Farm Advisory Officer, 20.8.1971, grown on at Lincoln as G 9769" ().
FL. 12-1.
