Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Lyell Creek. Type: W, 4721, near Lyell, S.W. Nelson, W. Townson. Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 728) extends the range to "Otago(near Queenstown, Petrie! Lake Hauroko, Crosby Smith."

Perennial with erect simple stems up to ± 30-40 cm. × 2-3 mm., subterete, striate, margined. Basal Ivs crowded in broad rosettes; lamina thin, obovate-spathulate, ± 8-14 × 2-3·5 cm., obtuse to subacute, with 3-5 arcuate nerves and evident reticulations, narrowed to petiole ± ═ lamina. Cauline lvs 2-3 pairs, sessile, subacute, semiamplexicaul, diminishing upwards from c. 7 × 3 cm. to 3 × 1·5 cm. or less, internodes ± 12 cm. Fls several in bracteate terminal and axillary umbels. Bracts broad, nearly concealing fls; pedicels almost filiform, 4-5 mm. long. Calyx c. 7-10 mm. long, cut 3/4 way into linear-subulate lobes with evident midrib; sinus rounded. Corolla white, c. 12-15 mm. long, deeply cut into 5 acute or subacute apiculate lobes.

DIST.: S. Montane to subalpine grassland, N.W. Nelson to Hanmer Springs, head of Waimakariri River, head of Waiau River, D'Urville Id.

Petrie's description referred to only 2 collections, both of Townson: "Lyell Creek, 1,000 ft. [W 4721, annotated by Petrie 'robust large-leaved form']; and Boundary Peak, near edge of scrub (south-west Nelson), 4,000 ft. [A 7185]". In both the infls are young, the calyx-lobes ± recurved and the sinuses narrow. Marlborough specimens, presumably like an immature plant from Mount Blairich mentioned by Petrie, are more slender with the sinuses of fully developed calyces broad and rounded; a sheet of such plants (W 4722, "Shady manuka scrub, low hills near Hanmer Springs, D.P. Feby 1914") Petrie has labelled "type" although the collection was made after the species description had been published. The west coast plants have resemblances to G. montana, those from eastern districts are more like G. corymbifera.

Further study, especially of the southern forms placed by Cheeseman under this name, is desirable. Cheeseman remarks: "This appears to be a distinct species, easily recognized by the tall slender habit, large membranous leaves, and involucrate umbels of small flowers."