Flora of New Zealand Series

W. saxicola var. congesta Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 403.

W. morganii Petrie in T.N.Z.I. 46, 1914, 34.

Type locality: Cape Foulwind. Type: A, T. F. Cheeseman.

Perennial, with creeping much-branched interlacing rhizomes, forming us. densely matted patches ± 5-10 cm. diam. Stems and branches us. compact, glab. or with spreading hairs towards tips. Lvs ± 8-25 mm. long, rosulate, glab., glossy, membr., orbicular- to oblong- to elliptic-spathulate, subacute (sts narrower) suddenly narrowed into a slender us. ciliate petiole often up to 2-3 times length of lamina. Peduncles simple, 2-5 cm. tall, slender, sts with small lanceolate toothed bract c. midway. Fl. solitary, glab., campanulate, c. 8-12 mm. diam. Calyx shallowly turbinate, lobes narrow-triangular, acute, c. 1·5 × 1 mm. Corolla pale blue or white, c. 8 × 6 mm., cut c. ⅓ way into 5 subacute lobes. Style c. twice length corolla-tube; stigma 2-3-lobed. Capsule globose, 5-6-(8) mm. diam., glab., tuberculate. Seeds ∞, minute.

DIST.: S. Sand-dunes--Kahurangi Pt (Simpson and Thomson), between Cape Foulwind and Charleston (Townson, Petrie), Fortrose (Petrie).

Mount Egmont specimens possibly referable here have globose capsules on tall scapes. Petrie (loc. cit.) gives the localities "Cape Farewell: W. Townson! Road-cuttings near Rahui (Charleston); moist sandhills near Fortrose (Southland). The Fortrose specimens grew in pure sand, and have narrower more coriaceous and more strongly toothed leaves than the typical plant from south-west Nelson. The species is not confined to sandy situations, for at Rahui it flourishes on nearly vertical faces of hard conglomerate rock. It is named in compliment of Mr. P. G. Morgan, M.A., Director of the Dominion Geological Survey, from whom I have received much valuable help in studying the plants of the Buller District." The name-change was made in recognition of the fact that W. saxicola does not occur as an indigenous sp. in N.Z.