Flora of New Zealand Series

Grass-like, densely tufted. Leaves (1.5) -2-4 mm wide, < stems, bright green, villous on margins in lower half, tip obtuse; sheaths with thick tuft of white tangled hairs at mouth, especially noticeable in cauline leaves. Flowering stems 20-30- (60) cm high, erect. Inflorescence umbel-like with a central cluster and 3-10 few-flowered lateral oblong clusters c. 5 mm diam. on ± equal erect peduncles to 4 cm long. Flowers 2.5-3 mm long, not close-set, with bases of flowers and rhachis between them visible; tepals red-brown with broad whitish membranous margins. Stamens 6, anthers ± = filaments. Capsule < tepals, red-brown. Seeds with conspicuous white caruncle.

N.,S. Nelson; Westland - locality not given; North Canterbury - Lake Taylor, Mt Parnassus; Otago-near Dunedin. Scattered in second class and reverting pasture; usually in damp or boggy places. (Europe)

First record: Buchenau 1906:94, as "L. campestris (L.) DC. var. multiflora Čelakovsky" [Celak.].

First collection: "Pahiatua Track, 5 m[iles] from P[almerston] N[orth], common in pasture", V.D. Zotov, 25.1.1930 (CHR 2409).

Although Buchenau recorded L. multiflora from N.Z. in 1906 he cited no specimens and the sp. was not recognized in N.Z. until 1952 when A. J. Healy determined plants from Upper Hutt as L. multiflora (CHR 78358, 78359).