Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. vi. (1874) 245. C. Hectori, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxv. (1893) 334. Dracæna indivisa, Forst. Prodr. n. 150; Pl. Escul. n. 38; A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 148; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 301.
North Island: Mountain districts from the Thames goldfields and Te Aroha southwards. South Island: Along the western side from Collingwood and Westport to Dusky Sound. 1500–4000 ft. Toii. December–January.
By far the finest species of the genus. I have followed Sir J. D. Hooker in considering the plant common in subalpine localities in the North Island and north-west portion of the South Island to be the same as Forster's Dracæna indivisa, originally gathered in Dusky Sound. Most New Zealand botanists, however, treat the two forms as distinct, apparently on the ground of the supposed larger and longer flowers of the southern plant. But, so far as I am aware, flowering specimens of Forster's plant do not exist in any New Zealand herbarium, and the earlier descriptions are in conflict with one another as to the size of the flower. As there is little, if any, difference in habit or foliage, it appears to me that the most prudent course is to keep the two plants together until a thorough comparison of their characters can be made.
5. C. pumilio, Hook. f. in Gard. Chron. (1860) 792.—Small, usually stemless, but in some varieties with a short slender stem 1–3 ft. high. Leaves very numerous, densely rosulate, 1–3 ft. long, ¼–⅓ in. broad, narrow-linear, acuminate, coriaceous; lateral veins several, evident, parallel; midrib stout, prominent on both surfaces; margins often finely scaberulous. Panicles terminal, erect or inclined, very slender, laxly branched, 1–3 ft. long; branches long, slender, spreading. Flowers irregularly scattered along the branches, rather remote, shortly pedicelled, small, white or bluish-white, iin. diam.; pedicels variable in length. Perianth-segments oblong, obtuse. Berry globose, ⅕ in. diam., bluish-white. Seeds 1 or 2 in each cell.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 282. C. stricta, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 257, t. 58 (not of Endl).
North Island: From the North Cape to Wellington, but rare and local to the south of the East Cape. Sealevel to 1500 ft. Ti-rauriki. November–December.
A variable plant, but well marked by the small size, usually stemless habit, narrow leaves, lax slender panicle, and small flowers. The roots are fleshy and saccharine, and were formerly cooked and eaten by the Maoris.
Large or small densely tufted perennial herbs, usually more or less clothed with silky or chaffy hairs or scales. Leaves numerous, linear, all radical or crowded near the base of the stem, with broad imbricate sheathing bases. Flowering stem or scape usually long, panicled above and many-flowered, rarely short and few-flowered, usually densely silky or woolly. Flowers small, diœcious. Perianth persistent, 6-partite; segments subequal, connate at the base into a short hemispherical tube or distinct, spreading or reflexed. Male flowers: Stamens 6, affixed to the base of the segments; filaments filiform; anthers oblong or linear-oblong. Rudimentary ovary pre-
