Flora of New Zealand Series

Scorzonera? scapigera (Sol. Mss.) A. Cunn. in Ann. nat. Hist. 2, 1839, 125.

M. pygmaea Raoul Choix 1846, 45 non D. Don in Phil. Mag. 1832, 388.

M. forsteri Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 1, 1853, 151.

Scorzonera scapigera Sol. ex Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 91 (nomen nudum).

Perennial with short, vertical, much-branched caudex and ∞ fleshy taproots. Lvs all basal, glab. or furfuraceous, entire to denticulate to pinnatifid. Scapes ± furfuraceous, naked, unbranched, striate. Bracteoles deltoid to elliptic or lanceolate, obtuse to acuminate. Florets yellow, conspicuously exceeding phyll. Achenes narrowed to base, distinctly ribbed, the ribs smooth. Pappus-hairs c. 14-24, stiff, brownish, widened to membranous base, barbellate above.

DIST.: N., S., St. Grassland and open places.

FL. 12-2-(5). FT. 1-3-(6). A. Cunningham (loc. cit.) records "New Zealand (Northern Island).(1769, Sir Jos. Banks. Among fern, on the hills, Bay of Islands.(1834, R. Cunningham." Not recently recorded north of about lat. 37°. Type not seen.

A critical comparison between Australian, Tasmanian and N.Z. forms has not been made; certain specimens and the position of M. scapigera in the genus are discussed by Chambers (Contr. Dudley Herb. 4, 1955, 248, 278), and his species description is largely adopted here. The forms found in N.Z. may be roughly grouped as below, but there are intermediates and how far the polymorphy is due to genetic and how far to habitat conditions is not clearly known. The description in Solander's Primitiae Florae Novae Zelandiae and the figure in the unpublished Banks and Solander plate come nearest to forma obovata. The distribution and status of the complex need further study. Plants in cultivation often assume large dimensions.

(a) forma linearis. Lvs 3-15 cm. × < 1-4 mm., filiform to linear, obtuse, entire or with very few runcinate teeth. Scapes 5-15 cm. long, not > c. 1 mm. diam. Capitula 10-15 mm. long and wide. Bracteoles broadly ovate to bluntly triangular, up to 4 mm. long; phyll. linear, subacute. Florets up to 10. Achenes c. 5 mm. long, glab. or with very sparse hairs when young. Pappus up to 8 mm. long. Dist.: N., S. Montane to subalpine damp grassland, herbfield, and boggy ground from lat. 38° 30' southwards.

(b) forma pinnatifida. Lvs 5-12 cm. long, linear to lanceolate in outline, obtuse, with distinct patent linear lobes up to 1 cm. long, widened at base, diminishing towards apex to 1 mm. long. Scapes 10-15 cm. long, c. 1 mm. diam. Capitula c. 18 mm. long and wide. Bracteoles ovate-oblong, up to 5 mm. long; phyll. elliptic- to obovate-oblong, obtuse. Florets c. 20. Achenes c. 5-6 mm. long, glab. Pappus up to 1 cm. long. Dist.: N., S., St. Lowland to montane, mainly damp grassland, from lat. 39° 30' southwards.

(c) forma obovata. Lvs 5-10 cm. × 5-10 mm., obovate-spathulate, apiculate, subentire to distantly runcinately toothed. Scapes 10-20 cm. long, up to 2 mm. diam. Capitula c. 2 cm. long and wide. Bracteoles ovate-oblong, up to 5 mm. long; phyll. narrow-linear. Florets c. 20. Achenes 6-7 mm. long, thinly clad in slender hairs when young. Pappus up to 7 mm. long. Dist.: S. Grassland and open places from lat. 41° to 42°.

(d) forma major. Lvs 10-25 cm. × 5-10 mm., linear, tapering above to apiculate tip, entire or remotely sharply dentate, sts sparingly lobed towards base. Scapes up to c. 40 cm. long, 3 mm. diam. Capitula 2-2.5 cm. long, 1-1·5 cm. diam. Bracteoles broadly ovate-triangular, 2-4 mm. long, margins ciliate; phyll, oblong, dentate-ciliate. Florets c. 20. Achenes c. 7 mm. long, oblong. Pappus up to 7 mm. long. Dist.: S. Moist limestone cliffs, Ure River, Marlborough, B. C. Aston, G. Simpson.