Flora of New Zealand Series

E. macranthum Hook. Ic. Pl. 1840, t. 297.

Type locality: "Swampy grounds Opuraga (Mercury Bay)." Type: BM, "1769, Sir Joseph Banks". I was unable to see the BM specimen.

Stock woody, emitting one or more stout, erect stems up to 1 m. or more tall; branchlets few, puberulous, becoming glab. Lvs opp., except in floral region, sessile by broad base or very shortly petioled. Lamina of lanceolate order, acute or obtuse, sts of ovate-lanceolate order; 20-40 × 4-12 mm., subcoriac., glab. except sts with pubescence on main veins and margins; margins rather distantly obscurely to distinctly denticulate. Fls ± 15-20 mm. diam.; calyx 8-10 mm. long, pubescent, lobes lanceolate; petals white or pale rose, obcordate, 10-15-(20) mm. long. Capsules (4)-5-10 cm. long; finely, densely pubescent; peduncles ± 10 mm. long. Seeds minutely papillose.

DIST.: N., S., St., Ch. Lowland to lower montane marshes and damp ground throughout.

FL.- FT. 10-3.

Haussknecht distinguishes 2 formae : (a) stricta : stems strict, erect, branched, pale purple. Lvs crowded, subappressed, narrower, shorter. Fls showy. E. macranthum Hook.; (b) laxa : stems much elongated, flaccid. Lvs patent, remote, larger. Fls smaller, paler. Also in Australia and Tasmania.

There is a much wider range of forms than was available to Haussknecht, and their status deserves cultural study.