Flora of New Zealand Series

C. gracilis J. B. Armst. in T.N.Z.I. 13, 1881, 336.

Type locality: Cardrona Valley. Type: K, 726, T. Kirk.

Spring- and summer-lfy semi-liane or scrambler up to 2-(4) m. long, with weak, openly branched, often interlacing stems. Branches up to 3 dm. long, internodes up to c. 8 cm. long; final branchlets subterete, c. 1 mm. diam., deeply striate, sparsely silky-hairy to glab. Lvs up to 25 × 8 mm., on ± silky petioles. Lflts 3-5, 4-5 × 3-4 mm., broadly obcordate, glab. or nearly so. Infl. a 2-6-fld open raceme, on slender ± silky peduncle; bracteoles ciliate; pedicels ± 2 mm. long. Fls 6-10 × 4-8 mm.; calyx c. 4 × 2 mm., campanulate; teeth narrow-triangular, acute, glab. without, ± villous within. Standard broad, 2-lobed, slightly > keel, white to cream, purple-veined and -blotched; keel ± 3 mm. broad, greenish white; wings 2-4 mm. long, whitish, faintly purple-veined; auricles pointed. Ovary glab. Pods 8-15 × 4-6 mm., turgid, ellipsoid; valves dark brown, replum thick; beak straight, stout, subulate, 4-5 mm. long. Seeds 2-4, ± 3 mm. diam.; white, sts tinged pale blue, ± heavily black-mottled.

DIST.: S. Lowland river-terraces and streamsides and wet ground: near Christchurch, Rakaia Gorge, Lake Pukaki, Cardrona Valley, Otepopo River, Sowburn, Gimmerburn.