Flora of New Zealand Series

Epacris pumila J. R. et. G. Forst. Char. Gen. Pl. 1776, 20.

Slender much-branched procumbent shrub, forming patches up to c. 4 dm. diam. Branches and branchlets close-set, pubescent or occ. subglab. Lvs crowded on flat petioles c. 0·5 mm. long. Lamina oblong to ovoid-oblong to broad-elliptic, bluntly keeled, concavo-convex to flat (all forms may be present on a single plant), ± 3-5 × 1-2 mm., coriac., ± shining, margins minutely ciliolate. Fls very small, solitary, axillary, near tips of branchlets; bracts and bracteoles obtuse, < calyx; calyx-lobes obtuse, cioliolate, Corolla-tube > calyx, cylindric, lobes short, bearded within, recurved, white to reddish. Fr. ± 5-6 mm. diam., red to orange, globose to subpyriform, style persistent. Pyrenes 5-8-10.

DIST.: N., S., St. Coastal (old dunes), lowland to lower subalpine: boggy ground, open grassland, rocky places, fellfield, herbfield; from c. lat. 36 º 30' southwards, uncommon in northern part of range.

FL. 11-2. FT. 12-4. Type locality:? Type:? There are two small pieces at K from the Forster collection.

Pentachondra rubra Col. in T.N.Z.I. 28, 1896, 601 from "Ruahine Mountain-range: Mr. E.W. Andrews" is described as having "Fruit obovate, 1/2 in. long, red, style persistent. Nuts 8, subreniform, gibbous, red, muricatulate-rugose."

Trochocarpa novae-zelandiae Col. in T.N.Z.I. 28., 1896, 602 from "Summits Ruahine Mountain-range, east side: Mr. A. Olsen; January, 1895" is described as having "Fruit red, globular, shining, 2 lines diameter, pulpy, style persistent. Seeds 9, yellow, oblong, plano-convex."

Pernettya polyphylla Col. in T.N.Z.I. 31, 1899, 274 from "Ruahine Mountain-range, east side, secondary summits; 1898: Mr. A. Olsen" is described as having "Corolla . . . slightly hairy within . . . lobes one-third length [of tube], linear-acuminate-acute, recurved, densely woolly-pilose . . . Fruit globular, size of a small pea, dark red, shining, style persistent."

All three appear to be rightly placed under P. pumila, but indicate that further study of the sp. might yield useful results.