Page:Manual of the New Zealand Flora.djvu/402

362 numerous, spreading, ½–3 in. long, linear, often curved, obtuse, coriaceous, more or less pilose towards the sheathing base. Scapes slender, ½–3 in. high, sometimes forked, with 2–5 linear obtuse bracts. Heads usually solitary, ⅙–¼ in. diam.; involucral bracts 8-14, linear-oblong, subacute, 3-nerved. Florets 20–24; females swollen at the base, deeply 4-lobed; disc-florets larger, tubular, with 4 short erect teeth. Achenes clavate, obtusely 4-gonous.—''Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. (1892) 420; Students Fl.'' 331.

4. A. cæspitosa, ''Petrie ex T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst.'' xxiv. (1892) 420.—A small densely tufted raoss-like plant, often forming broad fiat patches; stems seldom more than ½ in. high. Leaves numerous, spreading or recurved, ⅕–⅓ in. long, linear or linear-spathulate, obtuse, sheathing at the base, rather fleshy, flat or slightly concave, margins scarious when young. Scapes very short, often almost wanting; bracts 1 or 2, linear. Heads solitary, $1⁄10$ in. diam.; involucral bracts about 8, linear-oblong, 3-nerved. Florets 6–8, precisely similar to those of A. linearis. Achenes clavate, obscurely tetragonous.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 331.

5. A. inconspicua, ''Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl.'' 140.—A densely tufted moss-like plant, forming soft rounded patches; stems ½–2 in. long, densely leafy. Leaves numerous, spreading or ascending, ¼–⅓ in. long, linear-subulate, broad and membranous at the base, with ciliate margins, gradually tapering to a subacute thick and fleshy tip, rigid when dry. Head solitary, $1⁄10$–$1⁄8$ in. diam., sunk amongst the uppermost leaves; involucral bracts linear-oblong, obtuse, 3-nerved. Florets 15–20; females narrow-tubular, slightly swollen at the base, lobes 4, spreading; disc-florets larger, between funnel-shaped and tubular, with 5 short erect lobes. Achene linear-clavate, 4-ribbed.—''Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 354, t. 34, f. 1; Kirk, Students' Fl.'' 331.

6. A. pusilla, ''Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl.'' 139.—A minute tufted moss-like plant. Stems slender, wiry, leafy, ½–1 in. long, emitting long fibrous roots. Leaves crowded, spreading or recurved, ½ in.