Flora of New Zealand Series

Type: P. 62. There is Forster specimen at K; lvs < 10mm. diam., teeth rather blunt.

Plant us. hispid to pilose, forming patches up to c. 3 dm. diam. Lvs on petioles up to ± 5 cm. long, clad in patent to retrorse hairs; lamina firm, (2)-5-10-20-(40) mm. diam., distinctly 5-7-lobed; basal sinus narrow to open; lobes us. again lobulate, sharply toothed (teeth rarely obscure), sinus narrow. Umbels (5)-10-20-(40)-fld, on peduncles 1-2-(4) cm. long. Fls sessile or nearly so. Frs red-brown, crowded into heads 2-5 mm. diam.; mericarps acute on dorsal margin, with 1 acute rib on each face.

Dist: K., N., S., Ch. Coastal to lowland and lower montane grassland, forest margins and open places throughout.

FL. 10-3. FT. 11-4. Type locality?

Colenso (T.N.Z.I. 18, 1886, 260) describes his H. colorata as: "Plant hirsutely-pilose; stems stoutish . . . Leaves pale-green, often purple-margined, soft, rough above with muricated points and white sub-succulent strigillose hairs, 8-10 lines diameter, orbicular-reniform with a very broad sinus . . . lobes cut ⅓rd to middle, each acutely and many toothed: petioles very long, 3-5 inches . . . peduncles 3/4-1 inch; heads small, globular, many-flowered, 15-30. . . Fruit very small, 1/16 inch diameter, glabrous, chestnut brown . . . carpels somewhat turgid, with a narrow ridged rib on each face, back acutely ridged . . . In low spots, margins of woods near Norsewood . . . 1884-85. W.C." I have not seen the type material, but Colenso describes the plant as forming "large dense patches, overrunning all low herbage roots, twigs etc., in a very tangled way"

Colenso (T.N.Z.I. 21, 1889, 83) gives for his H. sibthorpioides; "Plant procumbent, creeping and straggling, slender . . . branches 6 in-9 in. long, red, hairy . . . Leaves pale green 4 lines diameter (sometimes 3 or 21/2, rarely 5) . . . with long weak coarse succulent hairs thinly scattered on veins upper surface, the lower surface generally free from hairs and very glossy . . . lobes cut one-third through . . . Petioles 1/2 in.-3/4 in. long, thickly hairy; hairs patent, reflexed. Umbels 10-20-flowered . . . Fruit small, 1/18 in. diameter . . . glabrous . . . when quite ripe and dry brown. with a fine narrow ridge on each mericarp and on dorsal edge . . . Shaded woods near Dannevirke . . . 1887: W.C." The type specimen (in excellent order) is in the Petrie Herb. in W. The specimen in K appears to be an isotype. Branches almost filiform, reddish, with patent hairs; petioles up to c. 2cm. long; lamina ± 5-10 mm. diam., lobed ⅓ way, teeth narrow-triangular, acute; peduncle hardly up to 5mm. long; fruiting heads c. 3 mm. diam.

Kirk's var. laciniata (Stud. Fl. 1899, 190) is described as: "Leaves 1/2 in-1/3 in. diameter, more deeply cut; teeth more acute. Peduncles longer or shorter than the leaves. Umbels 5-10-flowered. H. sibthorpioides Col. in Trans. N.Z.I XXI. 83 (not of Lam.)". I have not located any specimens so labelled by kirk. H. sibthorpioides Lam.  Encycl. 3, 1789, 153, is a tropical sp.

Carse (T.C.Z.I. 59, 1928, 315) for his var. parvisolia of H. moschata gives the diagnosis: "Planta dense implexa, in partibus omnibus typo minor. Folia 2-5 mm. diam. hispida utrinque ± ut in typo lobata. Flores fructusque cum typo congruenter sed pauciores minoresque . . . This form is so constant in its matted habit and smaller leaves, flowers, and fruit, that I have for some time considered it worthy of varietal rank, North Island: Mangonui to Waimarino, H. C." A note on the inside face of the Carse Herb. Folder 1033 reads, " This may prove to be Kirk's var. laciniata, if so then his name should be restored. H. Carse". There are 7 sheets, each with ample material, uniform in If-size and much resembling H. sibthorpioides Col. As the type 1033/1 Honeymoon valley, Manganui, 16/11/02, may be selected. The lvs average ± 5 mm. diam

Until the whole moschata complex is restudied in the field and in cultivation it does not seem wise to accept any specific or varietal epithet as well established. Small-lvd forms have practically the range of the sp.