Flora of New Zealand Series

Original localities: "Ruahine Mountain-range, west side, near summits; 1848: W.C. East side; 1898: Mr. A. Olsen." Type: ?

Colenso's description is: "Plant very small, 1/2 in. high, simple, tufted, glabrous; root 2 in. long, slender, hard, white; sometimes 2-4 branches (tufts) rising distantly from one long branched root. Leaves radical, numerous, sub 20, close, spreading, somewhat verticillate, linear-spathulate, 4 lines long (including petiole), 1 line broad, tip rounded very obtuse, with 2 small crenulate serratures on each side, tapering gradually to base, pale-green, shining. Flower large (for plant), solitary, terminal, drooping; scape 1/2 in.-3/4 in. high, very slender, bare. Calyx campanulate, 2 lines long, dark-green, 5-lobed; lobes cut half-way down, linear-acuminate-obtuse, 1-nerved. Corolla 5 lines long, sub 1/2 in. diameter, white, lobes pale-blue, 2-nerved, triangular, subacute, half length corolla. Style flat, 2-nerved, densely minutely tuberculate on each side and upwards to top of stigma; stigmas 2, oblong-lanceolate."

DIST.: N. Kaimanawa, Ruahine, Tararua Ranges, Volcanic Plateau. S. Tasman Mountains, Nelson; Tapuaenuku? Buller Gorge, Arthur Pass, Ben Lomond, Homer area.

"Obs. This is a peculiarly striking little plant, from its uniform size and pleasing appearance, a rather large drooping bell-flower springing from its little squarrose moss-like tuft of leaves."

Specimens from the Ruahine Range have rhizomes 1-2 mm. diam., intertwining. Lf-rosettes compact, small; lvs bright green, us. glab., oblanceolate to obovate-spathulate, ± crenate-serrate, ± 1·5 cm. long including petiole. Corolla white or pale blue-violet or striped, us. with 3 fine dark blue veins on each lobe, c. 1·5 × 2 cm., with tube ± 7-8 mm. long and ovate, acute lobes c. 10 mm. long. Calyx glab., lobes linear, acuminate, 3-5 × 1 mm. Capsule obconic, c. 8 × 4 mm.

Populations from areas other than that of the type are less uniform and are us. difficult to separate clearly from those of W. albomarginata.