Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: "Middle Island: summit of M'Crae's Run, alt. 4500 ped." Type: K, Monro.

Small tufted herb with ∞ crowded lvs. Sheaths ± 4 cm. × 8 mm., narrowing to stiff pungent stipules ± 15 mm. long; lamina ± 8-10 × 3-4 cm., lanceolate in outline, pinnate. Pinnae 4-6-(8) pairs, 2.5-4·5 cm. × 2-3-4 mm. striate, narrow-oblong, with pungent point; accessory pinnules sts present on inner side of lower pinnae, up to 2 cm. long. Infl. subpaniculate, on stems ± 2-(3) dm. long in female plants. shorter in males. Bract-sheaths ascending, lower up to c. 3 cm. × 3 mm.; stipules short, stiff, pungent, with simple lamina ± 3 cm. long. Umbels up to c. 25 mm. diam. on rather stout peduncles up to ± 3 cm. long; involucral bracts lanceolate, bristle-pointed, up to 1 cm. long. Umbellules c. 5-8, up to c. 1 cm. diam., on very slender rays; bracteoles c. 5 mm. long. Stylopodia pulvinate. Fr. c. 4-5 mm. long; mericarps 5-3-winged.

DIST.: S. Montane to subalpine to c. lat. 43º 30´.

Hooker remarks, "Dr. Monro's specimens are in flower only." He describes the lvs thus: "bipinnatis coriaceis, pinnis 6-8-jugis, pinnulis paucijugis lineari-lanceolatis acuminatis pungentibus striatis". Later (Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 93) he described the lvs as " numerous, 3-5 in. long, pinnate, rarely 2-pinnate at the base". Specimens ranging from the type locality to Otago were included in this new conception of the sp. There has since been much doubt concerning the proper treatment of the complex thus created.

Cheeseman (III. N.Z. Fl. 1, 1914, t. 63) in view of this "decided to figure Monro's original specimens, preserved at Kew". The Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, kindly had the type sheet re-examined. The complete plant figured in t. 63 is one of the 3 Monro specimens, shown reversed left to right, the lvs scanted for clarity, and the one with accessory pinnules apparently drawn from the non-flowering plant also on the sheet. None of the Monro flowering specimens show lvs with secondary pinnules. An examination of the stomata of the Monro specimens and of the sterile plant showed that they are relatively large and appear in single or double rows between the ridges of the lflts. In A. divisa (which has secondary pinnules. as shown in the single lf figured in t. 63) the stomata are much smaller and more numerous and are more uniformly scattered along the furrows and over the flanks of the ridges. Hooker's statement that Monro's plants were bipinnate remains a puzzle. The whole complex needs further study in the field, garden and laboratory.