Stellaria roughii Hook.f.
Glabrous fleshy tufted perennial. Stems erect, terete, becoming 4-angled when dry, 2-10-(15) cm tall. Lvs very fleshy, glaucous, sessile, linear to linear-lanceolate, acute, (10)-15-20 × 2-3-(5) mm; marginal vein indistinct. Infl. 1-3-flowered. Bracts leaflike. Pedicels erect, 10-15 mm long. Sepals linear-oblong, acute, 3-veined, 7-11 mm long; margins very narrowly scarious. Petals < sepals. Stamens 10. Capsule ovoid, much < calyx. Seeds rusty brown, about 1.5 mm long, covered with long narrow papillae.
S.: Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Southland.
Endemic.
Scree slopes mostly E. of the main divide, 1000-2000 m.
FL Dec-Feb FT Feb-Apr-(May).
S. roughii is very distinct because of its tufted habit, fleshy glaucous lvs, and specialisations to a scree habitat.
