Flora of New Zealand Series

Ligusticum imbricatum Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 97.

Type locality: "Otago, dry débris on the alps of the lake district, alt. 5-6000 ft." Type: No collection named. In type folder at K is a sheet with several collections of which "Otago 1863 Hector and Buchanan" may be taken as the type.

Compact herb up to ± 5 cm. tall, sts forming rather large patches by offset plants; lamina ± prostrate, 1-2-(4) cm. long, on petiole up to ± 5 mm. long, with broad membr. sheath up to 10 mm. long, produced into a short blunt ligule; pinnae 4-8 very close-set overlapping pairs, sessile, ± 2 mm. long, us. imbricate, 3-6-lobed or toothed, segs linear, hair-process ± 2 mm. long. Peduncle 2-4-(8) cm. long, ± decumbent. Umbels simple or compound, ± hidden among lvs; rays short; involucral bracts linear. Fr. broad-ovoid, c. 3-4 mm. long; mericarps distinctly 5-winged.

DIST.: S. Higher montane to subalpine rocky places and fellfield throughout, common in southern part of range.

FL. 12-2. FT. 1-4.