Flora of New Zealand Series

Small suckering evergreen woody subshrub. Lvs ± glabrous, multifid-multipartite to deeply 3-lobed to 3-foliolate, (1)-1.5-3 × 1-3 cm; leaflets thick, quite stiff, deeply incised 2-3 times; segments concave adaxially, obtuse to subacute, oblique at base; petiole 0.7-1 cm long. Fls unisexual, solitary in lf axils. Bracts in 1-2 pairs; upper pair usually inserted below middle of peduncle. ♂ fls: sepals (5)-6-(8), imbricate, white (slightly green-tinged when young), glabrous above, hairy beneath, obovate-elliptic, (6)-10-14-(18) × (3)-4-6-(10.5) mm; anthers 1-1.8 mm long; filaments glabrous. ♀ fls: sepals similar to ♂, c. 8 × 6 mm; staminodes few. Achenes pubescent, 3-4 mm long. Style 1.5-3 cm long at fruiting.

S.: N.W. Nelson (Mt Crusader and Hoary Head, Arthur Range).

Endemic.

Rocky sites in alpine herbfield on marble.

FL Dec FT Jan-Mar.

Sneddon (loc. cit. ) gives details of habitat and other features of this unusual sp.