Flora of New Zealand Series

Banksia gnidia J. R. et G. Forst. Char. Gen. Pl. 1776, 8.

Passerina gnidia Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 28.

Cookia gnidia Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1791, 24.

Type locality: Dusky Bay.

Stout, much-branched, up to 1 m. or more tall, glab. Branches with dark red-brown bark. Lvs close-set on petioles ± 1 mm. long. Lamina pale green, oblong to lanceolate-oblong to obovate (all forms may be on single plant) us. acute sts apiculate, (8)-15-20-(25) × 4-6-(10) mm., coriac., glab., midvein evident. Subfloral lvs ovate, subacute, ± 12 × 6 mm. Infl. of (8)-15-20-(.30) fls on peduncles up to 3 mm. long. Per. white to rose, densely villous; tube 8-12 mm. long, lobes ± 4 mm. long, oblong to narrow-ovate. Fr. dry, ± 3 mm. long.

DIST.: N., S. Lowland to montane shrubland, herbfield and occ. fellfield from lat. 37° 30' to a little south of 46°.

FL.- FT. 12-1.

The description of the Forsters is: "foliis lanceolatis, subpetiolatis, rigidis"; that of Forst. f. "diandra, glaberrima, foliis lanceolatis acutis". The Forsterian specimen in K has lvs ± 20 × 5 mm., oblong-lanceolate; per. pilose.

There are numerous forms the status not certain, e.g. BD 51865. Lvs ovate, subapiculate, to elliptic-ovate, 9-12 × 5-6 mm., on petioles ± 1 mm. long; subfloral lvs broad-ovate, 11 × 9 mm. Per. tube 10 mm. long, lobes 4 mm. long. Rimutaka Range, 600 m., in induced grassland, coll. A. P. Druce, 28/1/1947. BD 76193 from Kennington Valley in Leptospermum shrubland, coll. A. J. Healy, 11/12/40, has narrow-lanceolate acute apiculate lvs ± 12 × 4 mm. on petioles 1-2 mm. long; subfloral lvs ± 5 × 4 mm., broad-ovate. Heads ± 15-fld.

P. gnidia var. menziesii Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 1, 1854, 222 "ramulis glaberrimis, foliis elliptico- v. oblongo-lanceolatis lineari-oblongisve" was based on "one specimen, and that in bud only" collected by Menzies at Dusky Sound.