Flora of New Zealand Series

Rather stout erect to spreading herb up to 3 dm. tall, sparingly branched, clad in stiff appressed to slightly spreading hairs; stock short, stout with ∞ roots. Radical lvs on hirsute petioles up to 10-15-(20)cm. long; sheath membr. Lamina coriac. to fleshy, orbicular to reniform in outline, 2-5 cm. diam.; sinus narrow to broad; 3-lobed to about middle, again 3-5-lobed; final lobes deltoid to oblong, entire or with a few irregularly crenate-dentate teeth. Stem rather stout, sts branched in upper part. Cauline lvs 1-2, smaller, narrow obovate-cuneate, entire or toothed. Scapes or peduncles axillary, 1-3, 5-12-(25) cm. long. Fls 1-2 cm. diam.; sepals 5, silky, narrow-oblong; petals 5, oblong, > sepals; gland 1 near base. Fruiting heads ± globose, ± 1 cm. diam.; receptacle globose to cylindric, 6-7 mm. long, papillose. Achenes glab. or with a few hairs, ± 2-3 × 1·5-2 mm., obliquely oval in outline, compressed, narrowly margined to keeled; style short, straight or minutely hooked, flattened towards base.

DIST.: A. Coastal damp ground.

FL. 12-1. FT. 12-1.

Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 16) described his R. hectori from specimens collected by Hector in 1895 on A. The material is poor. Kirk gives: ""petioles 4 in.-7 in. long . . . blade 1 in.-11/2 in. long and broad, ovate-orbicular . . .Scapes 1 or 2; peduncles 2 or 3 . . . Achenes glabrous, narrowed below, oblique, slightly turgid, faintly keeled or margined; style shortly subulate, slightly recurved".