Flora of New Zealand Series

E. revoluta auct. p.p. non Hook. f.

Type: BD 97300, Mt. Mitre, M. B. Ashwin, 19/1/58.

Perennial herb sts arising from woody stock; stems ± woody at base, often prostrate and rooting in lower parts, branches erect, 3-10 cm. tall, ± evenly pubescent. Lvs sessile, us. Close-set, spreading, 3-10 × 3-6 mm., obovate to obovate-cuneate to suborbicular, us. broadest some distance below tip, subequally 3-lobed at tip or rather evenly 3-5-crenate or -toothed, margins thickened and sts glossy. Fls few at tips of branches, pedicels short, hidden. Calyx 6-9 mm. long, glab. or nearly so, unevenly divided 1/4-1/2 way; lobes obtuse to subacute, margins and midribs thickened. Corolla white, up to 20 mm. long and diam.; tube > calyx; lower lip little > upper, lobes 5-8 mm. broad, emarginate. Anthers red-brown, margins hairy, awns us. unequal. Capsule < or = calyx, 5-6 × 3-4 mm., oval to oblong, glab.; seeds many, 1·5-2 mm. long.

DIST.: N. Tararua Range, abundant in boggy or open places in subalpine tussock or herbfield.

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

Related to E. monroi and E. laingii but differing from both in the shape of the lvs; in the crowded lvs and short congested infl. it resembles more E. monroi but is a very much smaller plant. It has sts been confused with small subalpine forms of E. cuneata with which it grows, but can be most easily distinguished by the shape of the corolla, the shorter glab. capsule and lack of small lfy axillary branchlets. Similar small plants have been collected in N. W. Nelson but these are still of uncertain position.

Named in recognition of the contributions made by A. P. Druce to our knowledge of the flora of the Tararua Range.