Flora of New Zealand Series

C. hirsuta L. var. subcarnosa Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. 1, 1844, 5.

C. glacialis DC. var. sub-carnosa (Hook. f.) Schulz in Engl. Bot. Jb. 32, 1903, 542.

Rather fleshy perennial herb with stout stock branched above; petioles dilating and sheathing at base. Fls white, pink or purplish; sepals oblong, c. 2 mm. long; petals narrow obovate-oblong to spathulate, c. 4·5 mm. long, hardly clawed. Related to C. glacialis DC.

DIST.: A., C. Also recorded from M., A. Hamilton.

Occurs in two distinct forms; whether these are due to habitat or genetic differences is uncertain.

(a) Densely to sparsely hairy, up to c. 10 cm. tall; branches short, crowned by dense tufts of rather fleshy thick lvs up to 5 cm. long; lflts c. 11 to 15; lowest lflts minute; terminal c. 5 mm. long, broad-ovate to suborbicular, shallowly to rather deeply lobed, lobes mucronate. Cauline lvs absent or few, small. Infl. strict, erect, compact in all stages, subcorymbose. Siliques suberect to erect, ± 2 cm. × 2 mm.; style stout, c. 1 mm. long. Seeds suborbicular, c. 1·5 mm. diam. Dist.: Rocky places, especially at higher levels, apparently more common in, or confined to, A.

(b) Glab. to glabrate, of laxer habit, rather thinner; tufted lvs fewer, up to c. 10 cm. long; lflts us. 5; lower not minute; terminal up to 2 cm. long and wide, suborbicular, shallowly lobed to entire, not or obscurely mucronate. Cauline lvs few, shorter; lflts us. narrower and more deeply lobed. Infl. compact in fl., elongate in fr., erect. Siliques less crowded, suberect to ascending, hardly > 1·5 mm. wide; style less stout. Seeds oblong, c.1·5 × 1 mm. Dist.: Damp grassy places, apparently more common on, or confined to, C.