Pratia purpurascens (R.Br.) E.Wimm.
white root
Perennial, ± puberulent herb forming loose mats. Underground stems or rhizomes white; aerial reproductive stems erect, angular, tinged purple. Lvs all of similar size; petioles 1-3 mm long, sometimes minutely puberulent. Lamina 10-12 × 4-8 mm, elliptic or narrow-elliptic, ± puberulent above, especially towards margin, dentate with c. 4 teeth on each side; base cuneate; apex sharply acute. Peduncle 2.5-4 cm long, very slender, with 2 bracts at base; bracts c. 0.5 mm long, narrow-linear. ♀ fls solitary (♂ not seen). Calyx lobes 2-2.8 cm long, narrow-triangular, with a single tooth each side; apex acuminate. Corolla pale pink; tube c. 5 mm long; limb hairy inside towards base; upper 2 lobes c. 5 mm long, narrow-linear, recurved; lower 3 lobes 6-8 mm long, ± narrow-oblong. Staminodes with puberulent filaments and pale brown anthers. Ovary 2.5-3.5 mm long, obconic. Fr. not seen.
N.: recently discovered in a Eucalyptus plantation in Kerikeri, Bay of Islands.
E. Australia 1988
White root may have been introduced by birds carrying the frs across the Tasman Sea or by people travelling from Australia. Hence its status is uncertain. It is regarded sometimes as an undesirable weed in Australia, and is reputed to be poisonous to stock there. Frs have not been seen in N.Z. material and it is not known whether both sexes are present. The lvs are sometimes described as purplish below but this is not true for N.Z. plants. In Australia it is often known as Lobelia purpurascens.
