Flora of New Zealand Series

"Folia lanceolata vel lineari-lanceolata, circ. 8 mm. longa, subtus praecipue juventute ± pilis sericeis albidis obsita; flores magni petalis roseis leve tinctis. North Auckland Botanical District-Common, especially in the northern part of the district, in many places forming thickets. L. C. . . . As the variety is widespread in its range and frequently occurs in considerable quantity, there can be little doubt regarding its coming true from seed and thus being a valid taxonomic variety."

Comparatively little attention has been given to the complex, especially as regards habitat-modifications, microspecies, and hybrids. Plants < 10 cm. tall may bear fls. Some prostrate forms appear to be habitat-modifications, others genetically determined. The following names have given:

1. var. prostratum Hook. f. loc. cit. 70. "Caule prostrato, ramulis ascendentibus, foliis late ovatis orbiculatisve squarroso-recurvis." Hooker says: "Var. δ, on the mountains (stunted)." He gives no localities for his other vars.

Plants are in cultivation that, when the situation is suitable, have somewhat pendent stems.

2. var. myrtifolium Hook. f. loc. cit. 69. "Erectum, foliis ovatis patulis v. recurvis."

Plants with lvs ± answering this description occur throughout. A specimen from boggy ground at Woodhen Cove, Resolution Id, has lvs (3)-5-(6) × (2)-2.5-3 mm., subpungent, glab., ovate, spreading, ± recurved.

3. var. parvum Kirk Stud. Fl. 1899, 158. "1 ft.-2 ft. high. Branchlets strict. Bud-scales silky, villous. Leaves ovate, spreading, pungent, very coriaceous. Flowers small, ⅛ in. in diameter. Calyx-tube glabrous. Near Wellington."

4. var. linifolium Hook. f. loc. cit. 69. "Erectum, foliis anguste lineari-lanceolatis. L. squarrosum, Gaertner, v. 1. p. 174."

Plants with lvs of this order are also widespread, the lvs of diverse length in different specimens. A plant (BD 76026, A. L. Poole, 9/4/47) from a phormium community north of Kaihere by the Piako River has branchlets ascending to spreading, ± clad in appressed silky hairs when young. Lvs 10-20 × 1-2 mm., on petioles c. 1 mm. long; glab. above, ± silky-hairy towards base below, coriac., subpungent. Fls ± 7 mm. diam.; capsules ± 7 mm. diam.

Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 157) cites "T. Kirk, Forest Fl. N.Z. t. 117" under this var.; his illustration shows narrowly ovate-lanceolate lvs, 5-11 × 1·5-2.5 mm. Fls ± 15 mm. diam.; capsules ± 8 mm. diam.