Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Kakapo Peak, Nelson. Type: BD "No. 34873. Kakapo Pk., Nelson, c. 5000 ft. R. Mason, 23.2.46." In BD are also specimens from Anatoki Range, Nelson (R. Mason, 19.2.46, No. 34893); Peak head of Cobb Valley, Nelson (R. Mason, 1.1.43, No. 36009); Summit of Mt. Peel, Nelson, 5350 ft. (J. A. Hay, 3.1.51, No. 73430).

Plant forming a cushion up to 7 cm. across and with strong tap root. Branches many, up to 3 cm. long, clothed with long-persistent bases of dead lvs. Lvs rather soft, patent or recurved; sheath pale, short; blade c. 7 × 1 mm., narrow-oblong, bluntly contracted into short apicula, and with very narrow colourless border. Peduncles short. Fls c. 5 mm. long; sepals 5 (occ. fl. is 4-merous), broader than lvs, broadly triangular to oblong, obtuse with small apicula, with very narrow membr. border; capsule valves 5, c. ⅔ length of sepals when just mature; seeds differing from those of all other N.Z. spp. in bearing sharply pointed papillae.

DIST.: S. Nelson. Rocks in mountainous areas.

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

In If shape and texture the plants resemble C. wallii from which however they differ in predominantly 5-merous fls, and particularly in the sculpture of the seed surface; lvs and sepals are more strongly apiculate and more commonly show pale membr. border when dry. The specimens seen are all compact cushions. The specific name is given in recognition of the extensive collecting done by Miss Ruth Mason in little-visited mountains of N. W. Nelson.