Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: " On downs between Rotuari and the base of Tongariro". Type: K, J. C. Bidwill.

Slender lax annual arising from weak often filiform root; stems very slender, weak, decumbent, then ascending to erect, openly branched, ± 7·5-20-(35) cm. long; branches weak, few to many, lax. Basal lvs spathulate or oblong-spathulate; lamina thin, of lower lvs ± 15-20 × 8-10 mm., on petiole ± = lamina. Cauline lvs smaller, remote, sessile or subsessile, oblong or ovate-oblong, obtuse or subacute, thin; upper-most reduced to bracts. Fls terminal, 8-12-(17) mm. long, solitary or paired, on almost filiform pedicels up to 3 cm. long. Calyx cut 3/4 way into linear-subulate acute to acuminate lobes c.*8 mm. long, midrib us. distinct. Corolla white, narrow-campanulate, cut > 1/2 way into narrow-ovate to oblong, acute to subacute lobes.

DIST.: N., S., St. (?) Montane to subalpine grassland, herbfield, from c. lat. 39° southwards, descending almost to sealevel in southern part of range, sts in shrubland or forest margins; in the southern fiords a large form occurs amongst Leptocarpus simplex.

A rather polymorphic group is included under this name. J. F. Armstrong (T.N.Z.I. 4, 1872, 291) thus described his G. Novae Zelandiae : " Root slender, annual; stems numerous from the root, ascending, about 6 inches high, very slender, rather leafy, many-flowered, black when dry, Leaves linear-spathulate, linear-oblong, or spathulate-oblong, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. Flowers about 1/2 inch long, pale yellow, on slender pedicels; calyx rather deeply divided; lobes shorter than the corolla, linear-acute; corolla-lobes, ovate-oblong, acute. Hab.-Sources of Rangitata River, Armstrong." Kirk (T.N.Z.I. 27, 1895, 334) places this as " Forma novae-zelandiae" of G. montana and gives the range "North Island: Ruahine Range. South Island: Waimakariri, Rangitata, etc.; chiefly in damp situations". He regards it as "merely a temporary state, most plentiful in moist seasons". Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 727) accepts it as a var. of G. grisebachii.