Flora of New Zealand Series

C. nana auct. in part.

Type locality: "Dry stony places, Renwicktown". Type: W, Herb. Colenso, F. Reader.

Dwarf glab. shrub up to c. 15 cm. tall, forming rather close-set patches by stout rhizomes. Branchlets much-compressed, obtuse, striate, 2-(3) mm. wide. Infl. a 1-3-fld, short raceme; fls ± 8 × 3 mm., on slender bracted pedicels. Calyx c. 2 mm. diam., teeth triangular; standard purplish at base, paler towards apex, veins darker (some plants have greenish to full yellow standards with purple veins); wings distinctly < standard, white with purple veins, auricles pointed; keel purplish, ± = standard, auricles pointed. Ovary glab. Pods elliptic-oblong, turgid, ± transversely wrinkled, 9-12 × 3-4 mm.; beak straight, ± 3 mm. long, slender. Seeds dark blue-black.

DIST.: S. Lowland to montane river-terraces, stony places, open grassland throughout, mainly east of divide.

Specimens from various localities, otherwise similar, show a range of seed-colour from brownish to olive-green, without mottling.