Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Swampy Hill, near Dunedin. Type: W, W. R. B. Oliver.

"Affinis A. squarrosa Forst., a qua differt caule valde majore, foliis majoribus, flaccidis, glaucis, vaginis bracteorum multo longioribus et angustioribus, segmentis mediis bracteorum haud reflexis." Lvs (2)-3-pinnate, glaucous or greyish green, flaccid, up to 1·5 m. long; margins serrulate-crenulate, tapering to pungent apex ± 5 mm. long. Sheath up to 2 dm. or more long × 7 cm. at base. Stipules 3-1-foliolate, central lflt stout, 3-10 cm. long with sheaths up to 5 × 2 cm. Petioles ribbed, up to c. 35 cm. × 15 mm., smooth; petiolules up to 10 cm. long; lower internodes ± 5 cm. long. Primary pinnae up to ± 20 cm. × 4-5 mm.; secondary pinnae up to 20 cm. × 4 mm.; terminal lflt up to 45 cm. long (sts not developed). Stems of male plants strongly ribbed, 1·5-2 m. × 7 cm. Infl. up to c. 4 dm. long, narrow-oblong, tapering. Bracts ∞, starting from near base of stem; sheaths yellow, 5-12 cm. × 4 mm.; stipules pinnate to simple, up to 5 cm. long; lamina 3-1-pinnate, of lower bracts up to 4 dm. long, not reflexed. Umbels exceeding bracts, on rather slender peduncles bearing umbellules near base and at apex; involucral bracts linear. Stems of female plants up to 2 m. tall; bracts partly concealing umbels; involucral bracts narrow-lanceolate, ± 8 mm. long; infl. otherwise similar to that of male, but denser.

DIST.: N., S. Lowland to lower subalpine, from Mount Hikurangi to near Riverton.

Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 208) described his var. flaccida of A. squarrosa from specimens collected by Howlett on the Ruahine Range: "Smaller and more slender. Leaves softer, 3-pinnate; sheaths broader, sometimes 2 inches wide or more; segments narrower, more crowded. Bracts spreading, never refracted." Its status is uncertain, but the specimens approach in some respects Oliver's sp.