Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Wairau Mountains. Type: K, "Bidwill, Nelson".

Rigid, ± procumbent, much-branched shrub up to ± 6 dm. long. Branches and branchlets very stiff, ascending at a narrow angle, ± terete, grooved; branchlets yellow-brown, ± 2 mm. diam. Lvs alt., reduced to persistent triangular black scales hardly up to 0·5 mm. long. Infl. a 4-10-fld rigid, axillary, ± pubescent spike up to 5 mm. long. Fls seated in alt. excavations, subtended by minute triangular bracts. Tepals black, (4)-5-(6), triangular, persistent. Staminal filaments very short. Fr. nutlike, ellipsoid, dark, ± 5 mm. long, on us. much enlarged, often red and succulent pedicels.

DIST.: S. Montane to subalpine open areas, mostly in rocky places, from lat. 41° to 48° 30'.

FL. 1-2. FT. 1-4.