5. A. Buchanani, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 57.—Stems and branches numerous, prostrate, closely appressed to the ground; young ones more or less villous with silky hairs. Leaves ½–1 in. long, hoary or silky, sometimes densely so; leaflets 3–6 pairs, broadly oblong-ovate or rounded, deeply minutely toothed. Heads small, 3–10-flowered, sessile. Calyx-tube broadly turbinate, 4-angled, densely villous; lobes 4, persistent. Stamens 2. Stigma fimbriate. Fruiting-calyx short and broad, 4-angled and ridged, pilose; bristles 4, stout, spreading, yellow, usually hairy above or barbed. Achenes 1 or 2, bony.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 134.
South Island: Otago—Lake District, Hector and Buchanan! upper part of the Clutha Valley, Petrie!
This can be recognised by the small size, pale-greyish colour, villous leaves and branches, small sessile heads, and yellow bristles.
6. A. glabra, Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. iv. (1872) 226, t. 14.—Everywhere perfectly glabrous. Stems much branched, prostrate, stout and woody at the base; branches erect or ascending, leafy. Leaves ¾–1¼ in. long; leaflets 3–4 pairs, 15–13 in. long, obovate or oblong-obovate, cuneate at the base, deeply and coarsely toothed. Peduncles 2–5 in. long, stout; heads globose, ½–¾ in. diam., often unisexual. Calyx-tube much compressed, the lateral angles produced into a broad wing-like process on each side; lobes 4, broad, persistent. Male flowers with 20–40 stamens; females with 1 or 2; stigma fimbriate. Fruiting-calyx always unarmed, red. Achene narrow, tapering to both ends.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 134.
South Island: Nelson-Wairau Gorge, Rough, T. F. C.; Upper Clarence Valley, Kirk! T. F. C.; Lake Guyon, H. H. Travers! Marlborough-Mount Mouatt and Awatere Valley, Kirk! Canterbury-Mount Torlesse, Petrie! Broken River, T. F. C. Otago-Mount Ida, Petrie! mountains above Lake Harris, Kirk. 2500-4500 ft. January–February.
A very distinct species, easily recognised by the perfectly glabrous habit and large unarmed heads. It differs from all the other species of the genus in the numerous stamens of the male flowers.
Order XXIV. SAXIFRAGEÆ.
Trees, shrubs, or herbs. Leaves alternate or opposite, simple or compound, stipulate or exstipulate. Flowers usually regular and hermaphrodite. Calyx free or adnate to the ovary, lobes 4–5, imbricate or valvate. Petals 4–5, rarely wanting, imbricate or valvate. Stamens as many or twice as many as the petals, rarely more, perigynous or epigynous, very rarely hypogynous. Disc usually present between the stamens and the ovary, very various in shape. Ovary free or more or less adnate to the calyx-tube, usually 2–5-celled with 2–5 axile or parietal placentas; styles as many as the cells, free or more or less united; ovules numerous, anatropous, erect or pendulous. Fruit usually capsular, more rarely succulent and indehiscent. Seeds usually small, numerous; albumen generally copious, rarely absent; embryo terete, usually small.
