Flora of New Zealand Series

Perennial mat-forming herb; stems green, erect or prostrate, 2-10-(15) cm long, not branched or sparingly so at base. Lvs monomorphic, entire, linear, 2-6 × 0.5 mm, decussate. Upper lvs indistinguishable from other lvs. Fls unisexual, ♂ and ♀ often borne on separate stems, or ♂ borne in upper axils with ♀ below. Bracteoles deltoid, 0.6-0.7-(1.3) × 0.2-0.3 mm. ♂ fls sessile or on pedicels up to 1 cm long; sepals 4, 0.9-1.4 × 0.3-0.5 mm; petals 4, 1.3-1.7-(2.5) × c. 0.8 mm, oblanceolate or narrowly obovate, red, hooded. ♀ fls with pedicels 0.2-0.5-(1.0) mm long; petals 0. Frs ovoid or nearly so, 1.0-1.5 × 1.1-1.2 mm, deeply channelled opposite sepals, smooth to weakly striated, not verrucose.

N.: throughout, but rare except on Volcanic Plateau and Mt Egmont; S.: Southern Alps, west and south coasts; St.: local, at low altitudes; Ch.

Also indigenous to Australia and New Guinea.

Aquatic to terrestrial, lakes, streams and wet ground.

Orchard (op. cit.) referred all N.Z. plants to the endemic subsp. novae-zelandiae Orch.