Flora of New Zealand Series

Annual, dwarf, tufted, reddish-tinged, 2.5-9- (15) cm high; roots fibrous, plant readily pulled from soil. Leaves all basal, very short, setaceous. Inflorescence small, terminal, a single 3-8-flowered cluster with occasionally 1-2 lateral clusters, subtended by a longer bract. Tepals to 5 mm long, outer long-acuminate, much > inner. Stamens 4, or variable 3-5. Capsule 3-5 mm long, reddish, < tepals, shortly beaked, light green tinged with red at top.

N. North Auckland - North Cape south to Kaitaia, Dargaville. On roadsides and in sandy pasture. (Europe and N. Africa)

First record: Healy 1970: 154.

First collection: Dargaville, roadside, H. H. Allan, 22.11.1935 (CHR 17515).

Because J. capitatus is small and easily pulled from the soil it might be confused with small states of J. bufonius, but is distinguished by the 3-8-flowered terminal heads, with bract > heads.

Now known from several localities in North Auckland, and almost certainly more widely occurring than present records show.