Flora of New Zealand Series

Brossaea antipoda (Forst. f.) O. Kuntze Rev. Gen. Pl. 1891, 388.

Type: P? There is a Forster specimen at K.

Erect, ± spreading, up to c. 2 m. tall; branchlets densely to rather sparsely clad in long setose hairs and pubescence. Lvs on slender pubescent petioles up to c. 2 mm. long. Lamina coriac., glab or nearly so, (5)-7-10-(15) × (3)-6-10-(15) mm., suborbicular to broad-oblong to subovate, obtuse to subacute, apiculate; margins ± undulate, crenulate-denticulate to serrate; teeth minutely apiculate. Uppermost lvs sts so reduced that the infl. appears racemose. Fls solitary axillary, on pubescent bracteolate pedicels. Calyx deeply cut; lobes ovate-triangular, subacute to acute; corolla urceolate, lobes triangular, recurved. Fr. dry, surrounded by enlarged, ± fleshy, white to red or purplish calyx, up to c.10mm. diam.

DIST.: N., S., St. Lowland to montane shrubland, open and rocky places throughout.

FL. 11-2. FT. 12-4. Type locality:?

A somewhat polymorphic sp., the forms of which, however, are us. easily distinguished from other spp. But the wide range of spp. with which G. antipoda hybridizes complicates determination; montane forms, also may be much stunted. Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 689) recognized two vars: "Var. erecta. -Erect, much branched. Leaves large 1/2-3/4 in., broadly oblong or orbicular.- G. epiphyta Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxii (1890) 474. Var. fluviatilis Hook. f.  Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 161.-Erect, virgately branched. Leaves large, ⅓-⅔ in., oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate. Flowers small, almost racemed, on longer and more slender pedicels.― G. fluviatilis A. Cunn. Precur. (1838) n. 419."

Burtt and Hill (loc. cit. 625-629) discuss the forms placed under G. antipoda at some length, and arrange them in 3 groups. "Group A. Plants with the white pubescence of the stem conspicuous and only a few strigose hairs. Leaves generally obovate." Dist.: N., S. From c. lat. 35º to 43º 15'. "Group B. Plants with densely strigose branchlets and little or no pubescence. Leaves generally more orbicular than in group A." Dist.: N., S., St. From Mount Egmont southwards. "Group C. Plants of the G. fluviatilis type with narrow leaves." Dist.: N., Bay of Islands. See under G. fluviatilis in INCERTAE SEDIS.