Flora of New Zealand Series

Type: Australian.

Small tufted herb with deep taproot ± 5 mm. diam. at crown and ∞ radical lvs; stolons or rhizomes few to many, forming offset plants at nodes, the whole forming patches up to ± 3 dm. diam. Radical lvs rosulate, ± 5-15 cm. long, subfleshy, coriac., pale green to glaucous, lanceolate to oblanceolate to spathulate in outline; margins ± undulate; deeply, coarsely toothed or lobed; teeth c. 5 mm. long, spinous. Cauline lvs similar, smaller, often 3-lobed. Peduncles rigid, up to c. 5 cm. long; umbels up to 2 cm. diam., ± 15-20-fld; fls subsessile, crowded. Calyxtube us. densely scaly, petals white. Involucral bracts lanceolate to linear, exceeding heads, spinous. Fr. ovoid, ribs obscure.

DIST.: N., S. Coastal sands, gravels, rock-clefts throughout. Inland in lowland drainage areas of Hurunui River to Waimakariri River.

FL.- FT. 11-2.

Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 194) says: "Stems 2 in.-5 in. long, prostrate but never rooting at nodes." Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 654) has: "prostrate stems much resembling stolons but not rooting." Simpson (T.R.S.N.Z. 75, 1945, 190) remarks of cultivated plants: "The stems arch stiffly and press firmly downwards, the upper nodes root, their tips submerge and proceed as subterranean stems, rooting at intervals to send up a continuity of new radical tufts. The vegetative spread in this cycle is rapid, and large patches are rapidly formed." This habit of growth is the normal form of wild plants unless the substratum is exceedingly hard, although the length of the runners is us. less than that of cultivated plants.