Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Waiau in tussock-grassland. Type: W, W. R. B. Oliver.

Forming dense rosettes, stems up to 5 dm. long. Lvs narrowly subflabellately bipinnate. Sheaths rather thin, up to 2 cm. long to division into 2 ligules up to 10 mm. long; stipules irregularly bipinnate, up to c. 2 cm. long. Petioles ± 25 × 5 mm., concavo-convex; internodes ± 25 mm. long. Primary pinnae 3-4 pairs, strongly serrulate-crenulate on midrib and margins, sts again pinnate with lflts up to ± 20 cm. × 3 mm., acicular. Stems stout, grooved, up to c. 10 dm. × 25 mm. including infl. 5-6 dm. long. Bracts ∞, close-set; sheaths up to 7 × 1 cm.; stipules erect, simple to bifid, up to 15 cm. × 1 mm.; central lflt up to 30 cm. long, at length strongly reflexed, margins serrulate. Umbels exceeding the bract-sheaths especially in the male infl. Fr. ± 6 mm. long (not seen in mature state).

DIST.: S. Montane to subalpine, east of divide, from c. lat. 43º to 46º.

Oliver (loc. cit.) indicates that the sp. is probably polymorphic, remarking of certain forms "Further collecting is required before their taxonomic status can be accurately determined."