Flora of New Zealand Series

U. tenella R.Br. var. longifructus Kük. in Pflanzenr. 38, 1909, 66.

Original locality: "Südinsel, Otago (Kirk!, Petrie!)." Type: WELT, 1778, Routeburn, Fiordland, Kirk 1265, "103 to Kükenthal", Jan., 1877.

Laxly caespitose or spreading with slender stolons < 0.5 mm. diam. Culms (3)–5–15–(20) cm. × c. 0.5 mm., rather rigid, glab.; basal bracts very light brown or straw-coloured. Lvs (3)–5–7 per culm, = or < culms, slightly < 1 mm. wide, involute when dry, the midrib noticeably thickened and paler, rather flaccid with long tapering points, margins scabrid towards the tip. Spike 1–1.5 cm. × 2–4 mm., female fls c. 5, close-set, internodes 1–1.5 mm. long. Glumes slightly < or = utricles, deciduous, lanceolate, acute, membr., midrib pale green. Utricles 4.5–5.5 × c. 1 mm., trigonous with a distinct lateral nerve, or subtrigonous and almost smooth, elliptic-lanceolate, olive-green, spreading when ripe, stipe indistinct, hardly narrowed, up to 1 mm. long, beak tapering, 1.5 mm. long.

DIST.: N. Rare and local on the Raukumara and Ruahine Ranges. S. Rare and local in Nelson, Marlborough, Westland, Canterbury, North Otago, more common in Fiordland.

Forest from 600–1,350 m. altitude.

U. longifructus may be distinguished from other N.Z. spp. of Uncinia by its very narrow lvs combined with very short spikes and relatively long utricles.

Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 244) followed Kükenthal (loc. cit.) in treating U. longifructus as a var. of the Australian U. tenella R.Br. Although the two spp. appear to be related U. tenella has narrower lvs. c. 0.5 mm. wide, very much shorter utricles, 3–3.5 mm. long, and the male fls are exceptional in the genus in having only 2 stamens. U. tenella is recorded as occurring in damp fern gullies, epiphytic on decaying logs or on tree–fern trunks.