Flora of New Zealand Series

P. tasmanica Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 176 non Hook. f. in Lond. J. Bot 6, 1847, 268.

P. tasmanica var. neo-zelandica Kirk in T.N.Z.I. 27, 1895, 351.

Type locality: "on the ground, hills near Mount Cook Hermitage". Type: W, Jan. 1890, H. Suter.

Depressed shrub, with creeping and rooting branches, forming ± close dense mats up to c. 3 dm. diam.; branchlets ascending, up to ± 5 cm. long, sparingly setose when young, Lvs rather distant, alt., on very short petioles; lamina thick, coriac., oblong to lanceolate-oblong, (3)-4-6-(10) × 1-2-(3) cm., glab., acute to subacute; margins with 2-3 pairs of distinct to obscure denticles, hair-tipped when young. Fls solitary, us. 2-5 in the upper lf-axils, on glab. pedicels 3-4 mm. long; basal bracteoles 2-3-4-, us. a larger one near base of calyx. Calyx glab., very deeply cut into 5 ovate-triangular, acute or subacute, finely ciliolate lobes ± 2 mm. long. Corolla white to pink or red, urceolate, 3-4 mm. long; lobes short, obtuse, recurved. Stamens subexserted; filaments 3-4 mm. long, narrowly ribbonlike, gradually and regularly slightly widened to base; anther-cells with 2 short, rigid awns. Style erect, cylindric; stigma very minutely 5-lobed. Fr. white to pink to red, subglobose, ± 4 mm. diam.; persistent calyx sts with enlarged and succulent base, matching fr. in colour.

DIST.: S. Montane to subalpine grassland and open places, mostly east of divide, from lat. 43º southwards.

FL. 11-2. FT. 1-4.