Flora of New Zealand Series

Chrysobactron hookeri Col. ex Hook. in Bot. Mag.  77,  1851,  t. 4602.

Anthericum hookeri (Col. ex Hook.) Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl.  1864,  286.

Type locality: Wairau Valley (probably near Tophouse). Type: K, Bidwill n. 83.

Plant to 100 cm. tall but us. less. Lvs to 3 cm. wide, obtuse, mostly erect. Peduncle long, infructescence overtopping lvs. Raceme to 40 × 3 cm., many-fld; bracts narrowly acuminate, us. covering young fl.-buds; pedicels long, 1.5–4 cm., not swollen below fl., spreading at fl., stout and suberect at fr. Fls bisexual; per. to 14 mm. diam., shrivelling and pendent from base of ripening capsule. Ovary and capsule distinctly stipitate. Capsule obovate in outline, 7–9 × 4–4.5 mm. (length including gynophore). Seeds 5–6 mm. long, very dark brown, narrowly winged. 2n = 14.

DIST.: N., Mt Egmont, Huiarau Range, parts of Volcanic Plateau, N.W. Ruahine Range. S., Canterbury north of Waiau River, Marlborough, Nelson.

In tussock grassland, in seepages and other damp places, often locally abundant on slopes away from the sun.

FL. 11–1. FT. 1–4.

Plants from Cobb Valley and Mt Stokes have lvs with a glaucous sheen but do not seem to differ otherwise from plants from other places.