Flora of New Zealand Series

Stems us. many, up to 35 cm., decumbent and woody at base, erect above; branches us. several ascending, not rigid, often purple to reddish, with 2-4 lines of pubescence. Lvs somewhat remote to close-set, opp. except in floral region, subsessile or on petioles up to 2 mm. long. Lamina narrow-ovate to narrow-oblong to elliptic-oblong, (8)-10-15-(20) × (3)-5-(8) mm., submembr. to coriac., often red- or purple-tinged, glab., glossy; margins rather remotely sinuate-denticulate. Fls 5-10 mm. diam.; calyx 5-8 mm. long, cut ⅔ way into ovate-lanceolate lobes; petals white or pink, 6-10 mm. long. Capsules glab., slender, pale brown to purplish, 25-30-(50) mm. long; peduncles (5)-10-(15) mm. long. Seeds densely minutely papillose.

DIST.: N., S. Lowland to subalpine riverbed, grassland, herbfield and fellfield from 37° 30' southwards, with a few more northern occurrences.

FL.- FT. 11-3.

There is one sheet of Forsterian specimens at K, with 5 pieces, with dehisced capsules. A further piece has been removed and forwarded to Canterbury Museum. The lvs have the range 12-18 × 3-5 mm., the denticles distinct. As at present understood the sp. is an aggregate of several forms. Haussknecht distinguishes two formae: "(a) minor: caulibus humilioribus tenuioribus paucifloris; foliis minoribus angustioribus oblongis, rigidioribus, magis confertis, purpurascentibus, 1-11/2 cm. longis, 3-5 mm. latis, margine denticulis brevioribus, late obtusatis munitis, subtus nervis secundariis non vel vix conspicuis; floribus minoribus; E. glabellum Forster sec. spec. origin.; (b) major: caulibus robustioribus, magis elongatis, multifloris; foliis latioribus, remote dispositis, grossiuscule denticulatis, 11/2-2 cm. longis, 8 mm. latis, subtus nervis secundariis conspicuis; capsulis 4-5 cm. longis, valvis demum valde revolutis." I have not found the distinctions at all clear-cut in the field.