Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: New South Wales. Recorded also from other Australian States and from N. Caledonia.

Plant at fl. to 50–(70) cm. tall. Lf c. 5–12 mm. wide, fleshy, deeply channelled. Fls often ∞, sts > 20. Per. c. 11–13 mm. long, blue, us. with darker spots. Sepals and petals rather broad. Labellum slightly more rounded. Column-arms flattened, cilia white and mostly marginal, each arm projecting from the anterior margin of the side lobule; post-anther lobe little if at all taller than anther, erect, ± ornamented at top with violet to yellow, thick, finger-like calli; side lobules distinct, often much taller, yellow, fleshy and ± jagged on margins.

DIST.: N., S.

Scattered localities, scrub, roadsides, pakihi.

FL. 10–12.

South Island records are: Puramahoi, Golden Bay, pakihi land, 300 ft., J. A. Petterson, 26/10/1952; Pakihi skirting Rangihaeta Rd, at foot of Bird's Hill (clay) Puramahoi side, Takaka, V. M. Scott, 4/11/1954; St Arnaud, Nelson Lakes, manuka scrub, A. H. Whitaker, 11/12/1965.

T. aemula Cheesem. in T.N.Z.I. 51, 1919, 94, originally from "Leptospermum scrub at Birkdale, near Auckland; H. B. Matthews", seems likely to have been based on a form of T. ixioiates with unspotted fls. (See Moore, N.Z. J. Bot. 6, 1969, 479–481 and fig. 2.)