Flora of New Zealand Series

Cardamine latesiliqua Cheesem. in T.N.Z.I. 15, 1883, 298.

Nasturtium latesiliqua Cheesem. in T.N.Z.I. 43, 1911, 179.

Type locality: Mount Arthur Plateau, Nelson. Type: A, 4419, Mt. Arthur, 4000 ft., F. G. Gibbs.

Stock very stout from deeply descending taproot, up to 2 cm. diam., often branched above, crowned by dense rosette of basal lvs. Radical lvs 5-15 cm. × 5-15 mm., linear-spathulate to obovate-spathulate, coriac., coarsely serrate in upper half, narrowed into flat petiole; margins villous-ciliate, surfaces villous to glabrate. Lower cauline lvs c. 5 cm. long, crenate-serrate, acute to subacute; upper smaller, often subentire. Infl. branched, up to 5 dm. long; fls racemose on branches, at first rather crowded; pedicels slender, ascending, c. 1·5 cm. long; sepals 5-6 mm. long, oblong-ovate; petals white, c. 1 cm. long, obovate- spathulate to suborbicular, clawed, limb 3-4 mm. broad. Siliques c. 4 cm. × 4-5 mm., straight to falcate; valves subturgid; style slender, c. 2 mm. long; seeds c. 2 mm. long, reddish brown, compressed.

DIST.: S. Nelson: Mount Arthur, Mount Owen, Raglan Mts; rocky places from c. 900-1700 m.

FL.- FT. 12-1.