Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Mount Tongariro. Type: K, J. C. Bidwill, 1839, no 65.

Us. a low spreading shrub, sts attaining 1 m. tall and ± 1 m. diam.; branches wide-spreading, bark dark grey to blackish; branchlets slender, reddish brown. Lvs crowded towards tips of branchlets, spreading to strongly reflexed, us. dark coloured. Sheath membr., 2.5-4(6) mm. broad, ciliolate, abruptly narrowed to coriac., dark red-brown, linear-subulate lamina (green in shade) 2-4 cm. × 1-1·5 mm.; margins minutely serrulate, apex acute to subacute. Racemes terminal on branchlets, 4-10-fld, 12-25 mm. long with stout axis. Bracts persistent, almost concealing fls; lower lflike, tips subulate to lanceolate, c. 5 mm. long. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, acute, ciliolate, ± = corolla-tube. Corolla narrow-campanulate to cylindric; tube c. 6 mm. long, lobes c. 3 mm. long, sub-acute, ovate-triangular, red to white. Anthers included; style stout, c. 2 mm. long. Capsule 3-4 mm. diam., concealed by persistent sepals.

DIST.: N. Montane to subalpine shrubland, fellfield, from c. lat. 38 º to 41 º

A somewhat polymorphic and plastic sp., hybridising freely with D. filifolium and D. longifolium; hence herbarium specimens may be difficult to place without adequate field data. Colenso's spp., noted below, cannot be dismissed as absolute synonyms of D. recurvum and populations from the localities given need restudy.

D. rubrum Col. in T.N.Z.I. 20, 1888, 200, based on specimens from "High lands, base of Mount Ruapehu" is stated to have: "Flowers terminal in close sub-corymbose heads or broad short spikes of 9 flowers, shortly pedicelled; floral bracts shorter than flowers, deltoid, 21/2 lines long, 21/2 lines wide at base . . . Calycine leaves much shorter than corolla-tube . . . Corolla orange-red". The type, in W, labelled by Colenso, is a branchlet with spreading to slightly reflexed lvs up to c. 22 × 1 mm. Raceme terminal, c. 10 mm. long; lowest bracts with sheath c. 4 × 3 mm., lamina c. 4 mm. long; fls c. 5 mm. long.

D. tenuicaulis [sic!] Col. in T.N.Z.I. 22, 1890, 476, based on specimens from "Arid stony ground, high up on Mount Ruapehu . . . 1889, Mr. H. Hill", is stated to have "Floral bracts orbicular . . . Flowers terminal in small spikes of 3-7 flowers, closely compacted. Calyx sepals small 11/2 lines long, narrow linear acuminate . . . Corolla sub-campanulate or broadly tubular, 31/2 lines long". The type, in W, labelled by Colenso, consists of a packet with 3 racemes and scraps. The lower bracts with sheath ± 3 × 3 mm., lamina c. 3 mm. long

D. brachyphyllum Col. in T.N.Z.I. 28, 1896, 604, based on specimens from "Ruahine Mountain-range: Mr. H. Hill; 1895" is stated to have rather numerous lvs "patent, recurved, linear subulate, thickish, 5-7 lines long 1/20 in. wide subquadrifariously disposed . . . Sheathing-bases largely clasping, 3 lines long, 2 lines wide . . . bracteoles 1/4 in. long . . . deltoid acuminate, 2 lines broad at base . . . tips thickened acute, callous . . . Sepals narrow linear . . . Corolla 3 lines long, cylindrical, red . . . Anthers small, oblong, situated lower down in tube than usual." There is a sheet in W, without a Colenso label, but, labelled in another hand "Type of D. brachyphyllum Col." There are 2 good pieces and several scraps. Lvs erecto-patent to reflexed; sheath ± 4 × 2 mm., truncate; lamina ± 15-20 × 1·5-2 mm. Lowest bracts lflike, sheath ± 8 × 4 mm., lamina c. 20 × 1·5 mm.; mid bract-sheaths c. 6 × 4 mm., tapering into lamina c. 3 × 1 mm.

D. brachycladum Col. in T.N.Z.I. 31, 1899, 275, based on specimens from " Ruahine Mountain-range, east side; 1898; Mr. H. Hill ", is stated to have the lf-bases "greatly enlarged, 11/2 lines wide . . . calycine bracts nearly as long as flowers, their bases large wrapping, tips suddenly acuminate, subacute . . . Corolla red, narrow tubular, 3 lines long". Colenso remarks that his sp. is near to D. rubrum and D. tenuicaulis. The type, in W, labelled by Colenso, is a branch with several branchlets. Lvs recurved, sheath c.5 × 2 mm. narrowed into lamina c. 25 × 1 mm. (in dry state). Lower bracts lflike; sheath c. 5 × 3 mm.; lamina ± reflexed, c.20 × 1·5 mm. Mid bracts with sheath c.5 × 3 mm., lamina ± 4 × 2 mm.