Flora of New Zealand Series

M. aristatus auct. non  Benth. in Lond. J. Bot. 6, 1847, 459

Plant annual, tufted, 2-8 cm. tall. Lvs linear to linear-spathulate, 5-20 × 1-2 mm., rarely larger. Scapes us. several, almost filiform, 1-fld, 1-5 cm. long (not including receptacle). Sepals minute, 5; spur minute; stamens us. 5. Receptacle ± elongating in fr., 2-10 mm. or slightly more long. Achenes c. 1 mm. long; style short, subaristate, not > 0·5 mm. long.

DIST.: Lowland to montane open gravelly to sandy places: N. Coasts of Cook Strait. S. From lat. 41° 30' to 45° 30' on east of divide.

FL.― FT. 9-12.

Our plant is very closely allied to M. apetalus Gay and perhaps not specifically distinct. Campbell (El Aliso 2 (4) 1952, 392) places it under M. minimus L. subsp. minimus. Oliver (loc. cit.) does not indicate a type for his sp., but discusses specimens from Awatere River and Lake Tekapo, and refers to the " long fruiting receptacles" and "long beaks to the achenes" of M. apetalus.