Astelia fragrans Colenso
A. nervosa var. sylvestris Ckn. et Allan in T.N.Z.I. 56, 1926, 21.
Type locality: Near Norsewood, Hawke's Bay. Portions of the original gathering at K, WELT, and GH.
Robust tufted plants occurring singly or in colonies. Stem 2–4–(6) cm. diam. Lvs 50–200–(250) × 2.5–7.5 cm., stiffly ascending in lower half, less rigid in tapering upper part, strongly keeled above sheath but not tightly folded; tip narrowly attenuate; sheath to 2 × lamina-width, white with close scales; lamina adaxially green, glab. (the scales falling early), one very strong costa on each side of midrib sts reddish; abaxial surface with fine, inconspicuous, ± caducous scales and costae very prominent and much broader than midrib. Infl. erect, broad, for the most part glab.; peduncle stout, about = panicle; lower spathes long and narrowly attenuate; racemes 15–30–(50), all except the smallest spathes subtending sub-infls of 2–3 or more racemes, with second order branching occ. in the lowermost. Fls pedicellate and us. well spaced; ♂ greenish fawn, tepals c. 5 × 2 mm., spreading then drooping about pedicel; ♀ dark green, almost glab., tepals c. 3 × 2.5 mm., the tube closely appressed to about middle of shining green ovary, the dull reddish tips recurved. Ovary 3-locular; style thick, ill-defined. Fr. 4–9 × 4–9 mm., subglobose, orange ± flecked with red; matured per. fleshy, orange, ± split between shrivelled remnants of tepals, us. spreading widely from base of berry. 2n = 70.
DIST.: N., S., St. Coastal to lower montane, rare north of lat. 38º:
From low wet boggy ground to dry hillsides, mostly in forest or forest-remnants.
FL. 10–11. FT. 12–5.
