Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Dusky Sound. Type; K, Hector, 1863.

Glab. compact perennial herb, forming rather mosslike patches ± 5 cm. diam. and tall; branches slender, ascending. Lvs densely imbricate, ± connate at base, (2)-3-5-(5·5) mm. long, narrow-oblong to narrow-obovate, subcoriac., concavo-convex, margins thickened; acicles 0·5-1-(2) mm. long. Fls solitary, terminal, minute, hidden by lvs or nearly so. Calyx-lobes similar to lvs in shape; corolla-lobes obtuse; Staminal filaments very short, anthers broad-oblong in outline, didymous; styles short, free. Capsule subcoriac., depressed; valves 2, spreading at apex.

DIST.: S., St. Montane to subalpine damp grassland to herbfield: Hill's Peak, Canterbury, Cockayne; Dusky Sound, Hector and Buchanan; Long and Doubtful Sounds; frequent in St.

Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 721) remarks: "Dr. Cockayne's specimens have narrower leaves with shorter bristle-points, and may prove to be a distinct species," Forms similar to those of the Hill's Peak plants occur in Fiordland and Stewart Id; their status remains uncertain.