Flora of New Zealand Series

P. trichomanoides var. alpina Parl. in DC. Prodr. 16 (2), 1868, 498.

Type locality: Nelson. Type: K, Bidwill 135.

Monoec. shrub or tree up to 9 m., trunk short, up to 4 dm. diam. Phylloclades alt. to subopp., rhachis short. Lvs of seedlings and juveniles up to 1·5 cm., narrow-linear, acute, deciduous, of older plants shorter. Phylloclades of juvenile plants up to 2 cm. long, deeply divided, thin, with narrow-linear segs, glaucous below; of adults thick, coriac., 1-2.5 cm., occ. up to 6 cm. long, 2 cm. wide. Phylloclade shape various; narrow-rhomboid or spathulate, sparingly or much lobed, often elliptic to obovate, cuneate at base, apex subacute to broad-obtuse, margins crenate, lf-denticles small. Male strobili 5-6 mm. long in fascicles of 2-5, rarely solitary, apical, with pedicels 1-2 mm. long; sporophylls with small variously shaped apiculi, sts erose. Carpidia densely clustered towards bases of phylloclades, or marginal, rarely solitary; receptacle of red, fleshy scales; mature heads c. 6-7 mm. diam. Seeds nutlike, black. exserted, ovoid, compressed, c. 2.5 mm. long, obtuse; cupule white, irregularly lobed, up to ⅔ length of seed.

DIST.: N., S. Subalpine forest and scrub from lat. 36° 50' southwards; also lowland forest in west of S.

It is possible that several vars with different geographical range occur.