Flora of New Zealand Series

N. notabilis Buchan. in T.N.Z.I. 14, 1882, 344, t. 25.

Type locality: S. Wairau Valley. Type: K, "Wairau Valley, 3500', W. T. L. Travers ".

Fleshy rosette herb up to c. 25 cm. tall; stock stout, taproot deeply descending. Lvs radical, rosulate, ± clad in flat hairs when young, densely imbricate, on petioles up to 2 cm. long. Lamina up to 2 cm. long, spathulate to ovate-spathulate, ± dentate-serrate to crenate, obtuse to subacute, abruptly narrowed to base. Scape stout, bearing ∞ crowded fragrant fls in a short pyramidal raceme, elongating to ± 25 cm. in fr. Fls on pedicels ± 5 mm. long, perfect, ± 1 cm. diam.; sepals 4-7 mm. long, oblong, us. with scattered flat hairs; petals 8-12 mm. long, white, obovate-spathulate, limb 4-5 mm. broad. Silicles up to 2.5 cm. long, obovate to obcordate in outline, including the broad wings, on stout pedicels 4-5 mm. long; wings ± fleshy, 3-4 mm. broad; sinus broad; style ± 1 mm. long, not > wings; stigma broad. Seeds us. many, subreniform, ± 1 mm. diam.; testa pitted, reddish brown; radicle long, often twice folded.

Slender branches ending in small rosettes are sts developed.

DIST.: S. Screes with fine debris, east of divide at from 750 to 1800 m., from lat. 41° to a little south of 45°.

FL. 11-12. FT. 12-4.

Var. hursthousei Petrie in T.N.Z.I. 56, 1926, 11. Petrie's description is: "Planta c. 22 cm.(8-9 in.) alta, purpurata, quam forma typica altior ac robustior, a basi inflorescentiae emittens supra folia c. 12 graciles breviores paucifloros ramos; flores subflavidi, petalis purpureo ± tinctis . . . Hab. ― Shingly Range near Molesworth Station, Upper Awatere, Marlborough: F. H. Hursthouse!" Petrie saw only one specimen, but cites Mr Hursthouse as saying: "It grows at a height of about 4,000 ft. on shingly faces that are visible from Molesworth Homestead. There were many fine specimens."

Miss M. Simpson, 29/1/1956, discovered a series of plants on Big Hill, Molesworth, probably at or near the locality of the original gatherings. The plants are not uniform, but differ from the widespread forms in the larger silicles and us. branched infl. One specimen (BD 91201) has the main infl.-axis c. 15 cm. × 8 mm. (at base); branches near base, c. 12, up to 10 cm. long; silicles 25-30 × 15-20 mm. with broad wings; styles 3-4 mm. long (measurements of pressed specimen). As the plants have seeded copiously it may be possible to make progeny tests.