Flora of New Zealand Series

Lampocarya setifolia A. Rich. Essai Fl. N.Z.  1832,  111.

Original locality: "Crescit in Nova-Zeelandia. (D'Urville)." Lectotype: P, 2639, 92.56, labelled Lampocarya setifolia in Richard's hand.

Large stout tufts 100–250 cm. high, from a thick woody rootstock. Culms c. 1 cm. diam., up to 1.5 cm. diam. at base. Lvs ± = culms; lamina very harsh, margins involute and scabrid with a few longitudinal rows of teeth just inside margin on abaxial surface of lf; sheaths up to 30 cm. long, dull brownish black. Panicle 40–70–(90) cm. long, drooping, much-branched, primary branchlets up to 40 cm. long. Spikelets 2-fld, 6–7 mm. long, stalked, dark red-brown to blackish brown. Glumes 6–7; 3–4 outermost empty, 5–6 mm. long, 3 inner glumes c. 4 mm. long, in young fls white with a red-brown tip, becoming dark red-brown throughout as fr. matures. Stamens 4–(6). Style-branches 3. Nut 3.5–4–(4.5) mm. long, slightly < 2 mm. diam., elliptic-obovoid, smooth and shining, yellow-cream at first, us. becoming reddish brown when fully ripe; endocarp transversely grooved within.

DIST.: N. Throughout, but less common between lat. 38º and 40º. S. Nelson, Marlborough Sounds.

Light forest and scrub, sea level to 450 m. altitude.

FL. 12–1.

Carse attached a note to CHR 109589, G. setifolia, Fairburns, H. Carse, 1902: "this species is the most ubiquitous of the genus being found on the margins of lowland swamps, on dry hillsides, on high bush-clad ridges and on clay banks along the road side."

Specimens of G. setifolia without ripe fr. are often difficult to distinguish from G. xanthocarpa. In living plants where fr. is us. present the differences between the 2 spp. are very obvious.