Flora of New Zealand Series

E. tetragonum Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 1, 1852, 60.

Stems simple or sparingly branched, stout, arcuate, then erect, woody at base, green to red, up to ± 6 dm. tall, bifariously pubescent when young. Lvs opp., except in floral region, crowded, overlapping, ascending, sessile. Lamina narrow-oblong to broad-ovate or elliptic, 20-30-(40) × 8-14 mm., subcoriac., glab.; margins closely, rather finely, irregularly denticulate. Fls 4-5 mm. diam., in some forms 10-12 mm.; calyx ± = petals, lobes ovate-lanceolate, ± pubescent; petals pink, obovate, emarginate. Capsules (25)-40-60-(65) mm. long, hoary; peduncles 10-15 mm. long. Seeds minutely papillose.

DIST.: N., S., St., Ch. Coastal to lowland dune-hollows, damp sands, swamp margins, throughout.

FL.- FT. 10-2. Also in Australia and Tasmania.

Haussknecht distinguishes 2 formae: (a) simplex: stem slender, simple, few-fld; lvs remote, oblong, small, gradually narrowed to base, 1·3 cm. × 5 mm.; (b) major: stem robust, branched; lvs larger, cordate at base, up to 4 × 2 cm. No detailed study has been made. Sts forms of dune-hollows are ± prostrate except at tips.