Poranthera alpina
P. alpina Cheesem. in T.N.Z.I. 14, 1882, 300.
Type locality: "Rocky ledges on Mount Arthur, Nelson, ascending to within a short distance of the summit of the mountain. Alt. 6000 ft." Type: K, "Mt. Arthur, Nelson, T.F.C. 1881."
Decumbent dioec. herb, woody at base, up to 10 cm. or more tall, glab.; branches and branchlets us. close-set. Lvs close-set, opp. and decussate to alt., ascending, becoming patent, on erect petioles c. 1 mm. long; stipules < 1 mm. long, ovate-triangular; lamina 3-5 mm. long, coriac. to submembr., revolute nearly to stout midvein. Subfloral lvs flatter. Infl. of solitary fls in axils of ultimate lvs, on pedicels ± 2 mm. long. Sepals 5, white, slightly stained green, oblong, obtuse, 1-1·5 mm. long; petals 0; filaments slender; ovary subglobose, 6-lobed, 3-celled. Fr. c. 2 mm. diam., dehiscing into 3 2-valved cocci. Seeds wrinkled.
DIST.: S. Montane to subalpine rocky places on Mounts Arthur, Owen, Lockett, Murchison, Gordon's Pyramid and Duppa. Recorded (T.R.S.N.Z. 71, 1942, 87) "at sealevel on the N.W. coast."
FL.- FT. 11-2.
