Flora of New Zealand Series

Geophila? dichondraefolia A. Cunn. in Ann. nat. Hist. 2, 1839, 208.

N. gracilis Raoul in Ann. Sci. nat. Sér. 3, 2, 1844, 121.

Type locality: "dry woods on the shores of the Bay of Islands". Type: K, R. Cunningham, 1834.

Matted to open ± hairy herb forming patches up to 4 dm. diam. or more; stems much to sparingly branched; branches and branchlets ± clad in subappressed to patent hairs, often densely so in axils. Lvs on ± pilose petioles 5-10-(12) mm. long; stipules triangular, acute to sub-acute, margins and apex us. thickened, ± hairy without, glab. within. Lamina submembr., broad-ovate to broadly ovate-oblong, occ. suborbicular, (4)-6-12 × (4)-6-10-(13) mm., densely to sparsely hairy above and below, sts almost glab.; apex acute to obtuse, sts apiculate; sub-cordate or occ. rounded at base; margins thickened, sts crenulate. Fls very small, sessile, axillary and terminal. Calyx obscurely to distinctly toothed. Corolla funnelform, c.2.5-3*5 mm. long; lobes 4, narrow-triangular, subacute, up to c.1/2 length tube. Anthers and styles slightly exserted. Drupe globose, red to dark orange, c. 4 mm. diam., ± setose when young.

DIST.: N., S., St. Lowland to montane forest and shrubland, occ. grassland from lat. 35º southwards.

FL. 10-2. FT. 12-5.

A very polymorphic and apparently plastic sp. with forms showing considerable diversity in habit, stoutness and odour. There is a great range in the nature and degree of hairiness, petiole and lamina size and shape, and presence or absence of hairs on drupes. Until experimental work has been done it is unwise to attempt varietal differentiation. It is possible that there is a cline from northern to southern forms, and the diversity may in part be due hybridism with N. depressa and N. ciliata.