Perennial herbs, usually tufted. Leaves grass-like, mostly radical, more or less ciliate with long flexuous white hairs. Flowers small, crowded in small fascicles or placed singly, the fascicles or single flowers arranged in an irregularly branched simple or compound umbel or cyme, sometimes contracted into a globose or spiciform head, each flower with a bract and 2 bracteoles. Perianth-segments 6, glumaceous, distinct. Stamens 6, hypogy-nous or the 3 inner attached to the base of the segments; filaments filiform; anthers oblong or linear. Ovary sessile, 1-celled; style filiform, with 3 long stigmatic lobes; ovules 3, erect from a short basal placenta. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds 3, or fewer by abortion, globose or ovoid; testa minutely reticulated.
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L. Colensoi,
Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 293.—Small, moss like, densely tufted, nearly glabrous, forming rounded cushions 1–3 in. across. Stems very short. Leaves much longer than the stems, ¼–¾ in. long, subulate, tapering from a broad sheathing base to an obtuse tip, rigid and coriaceous, channelled in front, convex on the back, glabrous above the middle, margins of the sheath and lower part of the leaf sparingly ciliate. Inflorescence of 2 to 6 few- flowered fascicles compacted into a dense head concealed among the leaves; lower bracts leafy, exceeding the flowers; remainder small, white, membranous, lacerate. Flowers about 1/12 in. long. Perianth-segments equal, ovate-lanceolate, acute or subacute, chest nut-brown with pale membranous margins and tips. Stamens 6, from slightly shorter to slightly longer than the segments. Capsule almost equalling the perianth, ovoid-globose, trigonous, red-brown. Seeds ferruginous, obliquely ovoid.—
Buchen. Monog. junc. 145.
North Island: Mount Egmont,
T. F. C.; Ruapehu,
H. Hill! Rev. F. H. Spencer! Ruahine Mountains,
Colenso! Mount Holdsworth,
W. Townson! South Island: Nelson Gordon's Nob, Mount Owen, Mount Peel,
T. F. C. Westland—Kelly's Hill,
Peine! Cockayne! Otago—Longwood Range,
Kirk! 4000–6000 ft. January–February.
Easily distinguished by its small size and very short stems, the flowers being sunk among the leaves. Buchenau's var.
macrostemon (Oesterr. Bot. Zeit. 1898), separated on account of the stamens slightly exceeding the perianth, does not appear to me to be really distinct, the stamens often varying in length,
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L. micrantha,
Buchen. in Oesterr. Bot. Zeit. 1898. — Densely tufted, forming compact rounded patches. Stems rigid, erect, ½–1½ in. high, leafy at the base. Leaves equalling the stems, straight, rigid, erect, narrow-linear, obtuse at the tip, broadly sheathing at the base, flat or slightly concave in front, rounded or almost flat at the back; margins cartilaginous, glabrous; sheaths membranous, striate, slightly ciliate at the tip. Inflorescence simple, terminal, capitate, 3–8-flowered; the lowest bract (or the 2 lowest) foliaceous, overtopping the inflorescence, the remainder small, membranous, lacerate. Flowers about 1/10 in. long. Perianth- segments equal, lanceolate, acute, reddish-brown, with very narrow hyaline margins. Stamens 6, rather more than half as long as the perianth-segments. Capsule elliptic-trigonous, almost equalling the perianth, acute, shining, red-brown, paler at the base.
Var.
triandra.—Size and habit of the type, but leaves rather narrower, often curved, and usually canaliculate. Heads 6–12-flowered. Stamens) 3.— L. triandra,
Buchen. I.c.
Var.
crenulata.—Very densely pulvinate. Leaves very narrow, subulate, canaliculate. Inflorescence 2–6-flowered. Perianth-segments crenulate at the tips. Stamens 6. Capsule obovoid, trigonous, obtuse.—L. crenulata,
Buchen. l.c.
South Island: Otago—Mount Oardrona,
Petrie! Vars.
triandra, and
crenulata: Rock and Pillar Range,
Petrie! 4000–6000 ft. December–February.
The three plants united here under the name of
L. micrantha are considered by Buchenau to represent three distinct species. I suspect that all are nothing more than depauperated short-stemmed forms of
L. pumila.
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L. pumila,
Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 293.—Small, densely tufted, forming small cushion-shaped masses. Stems slender, erect, 1–2 in. high. Leaves shorter than the stems, ⅓–1 in. long, linear-subulate, gradually narrowed to an obtuse tip, strict, erect, rigid, striate, channelled in front, convex behind, margins of the lower half and sheath sparingly ciliate. Inflorescence a dense terminal 4–10-flowered head; lowest bract foliaceous; the rest membranous, lacerate, pale chestnut-brown. Flowers about 1/10 in. long, chestnut-brown. Perianth-segments subulate-lanceolate, long- acuminate, the 3 outer distinctly larger, dark-chestnut, without pale margins or with very indistinct ones. Stamens 6, about half as long as the perianth-segments. Capsule broadly obovoid, tri- gonous, from ½ to ⅔ the length of the perianth, dark chestnut- brown or almost black. Seeds oblong, minutely carunculate at the ibase.—
Buchen. Monog. junc. 144.
South Island: Nelson—Mountains above the Wairau Gorge,
T. F. C.; Mount Captain,
Kirk! Canterbury — Mount Torlesse,
Haast! T. F. C.; Craigieburn Mountains,
Cockayne! Mount Darwin,
Haast; Mount Dobson,
T. F. C. Otago — Not uncommon on the central and western mountains,
Petrie! 4000–6500 ft. January–February.
Best recognised by the stems distinctly overtopping the leaves, lanceolate-subulate perianth-segments, which are dark-chestnut with a very inconspicuous pale margin, and short almost black capsule.
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L. Cheesemanii,
Buchen. Monog. junc. 146.—Small, densely tufted, forming compact patches. Stems slender, erect, 1–2 in. high. Leaves shorter than the stems or equalling them, ½–1½ in. long, linear-subulate, obtuse at the tip, rigid, concave in front, rounded on the back, grooved, margins ciliated throughout with long white hairs. Inflorescence of from 1 to 3 2–6-flowered fascicles congested into a terminal head; lowest bract leafy, often reddish, equalling the head; the remainder small, white, mem- branous. Flowers 1/9 in. long. Perianth-segments about equal, ovate-lanceolate, acute, thin, with a blackish-chestnut stripe down the centre and very broad silvery-white margins. Stamens 6, about half as long as the perianth-segments. Capsule shorter than the perianth, ovoid - globose, trigonous, mucronate, dark chestnut-brown or almost black. Seeds obliquely ovoid, minutely carunculate at the base.
South Island: Nelson—Summit of Gordon's Nob,
T. F. C. Marlborough —Mount Mouatt,
Kirk! Canterbury—Black Range,
T. F. C.; Craigieburn Mountains,
Petrie! Otago — Mount Kyeburn, Dunstan Mountains,
Petrie t 4000–6000 ft. December–February.
Closely allied to
L. pumila, from which it differs in the more compound inflorescence, and in the much broader perianth-segments, with very con-spicuous silvery-white margins.
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L. leptopliylla,
Buchen. and Petrie in Oesterr. Bot. Zeit. 1898.—Small, slender, stoloniferous, 1–4 in. high. Leaves all radi- cal, much shorter than the stems, ½–2 in. long, very narrow, almost filiform, tip obtuse, margins convolute, glabrous or nearly so, mouth of the sheath with a tuft of slender hairs. Inflorescence terminal, of a single 3–8 flowered head, or more rarely the head consists of 2 closely compacted clusters; bract at the base of the head small, leafy. Flowers small, about 1/12 in. long. Perianth-segments about equal or the outer a little shorter, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute, central portion dark chestnut-brown or almost black; margins broad, pale, membranous. Stamens 3, filaments filiform. Capsule- equalling the perianth, rounded-obovoid, shining, dark - chestnut, sometimes almost black.
South Island: Otago—Mount Kyeburn,
Petrie! 2000–3500 ft. De-cember-January.
A very curious little plant, of which I have seen no specimens except Mr. Petrie's. It appears to differ from reduced states of
L. campestris in the ex-ceedingly slender stems, almost filiform leaves, and 3 stamens.
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L. campestris,
D.C. Fl. Fr. iii. 161.—Excessively variable in all its parts. Stems more or less densely tufted, stout or slender, very variable in size, usually from 6–14 in. high, but often reduced to 2 in., and sometimes reaching 18 or 20 in. Leaves mostly radical, always shorter than the stems, generally flat and grassy, but varying in breadth from 1/10 to⅓ in., gradually narrowed into an obtuse and usually callous tip; margins flat or thickened, more or less ciliate with long hairs and often copiously so. In- florescence very variable, in the most developed forms of numerous, clusters on the branches of an umbellate cyme, the branches very unequal in length; but frequently the clusters are greatly reduced in number and the branches are often so short that the inflores- cence is congested into a pyramidal or ovoid entire or lobed head. Lower bracts foliaceous; upper membranous, entire or lacerate, more or less ciliate. Flowers 1/10–⅙ in. long. Perianth-segments ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute, subequal, margins usually mem- branous, often white. Stamens 6. Capsule equalling the perianth, broadlv ovoid or obovoid, trigonous, obtuse, usually shortly mucro-
nate.—Hook.f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 264;
Handb. N.Z. Fl. 292;
Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 123;
Buchen. Monog. Junc. 155.
Var. migrata,
Buchen. in Oesterr. Bot. Zeit. 1898. — Stems 4–15 in. high. Leaves 1/12–¼ in. broad; margins flat, not usually cartilaginous, ciliate but not conspicuously so. Inflorescence well developed, usually lax, the lateral clusters pedunculate. Flowers 1/10–⅛ in. long. Perianth-segments lanceolate, acute, dark chestnut-brown with white membranous margins.—L. campestris
var. a,
Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 292. L. rhadina,
Buchen. I.c. (a form with, very narrow erect leaves).
North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands: Abundant throughout, from sea-level to 4500 ft.
Var. Petriana,
Buchen. l.c.—Rather stout, tufted, 4–12 in. high. Leaves narrow,1/15–⅛ in. broad, sparingly ciliate. Inflorescence less developed, usually with the lateral clusters shortly stipitate, but sometimes contracted into a con-globate head. Upper bracts more or less lacerate. Perianth-segments lanceo-late, acute, very dark chestnut-brown without white margins or with very obscure ones. Capsule shorter than the perianth. L. Wettsteinii,
Buchen. l.c., appears to be a tall excessively slender state of this.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Auckland Islands: Abundant in hilly or mountain districts, ascending to 4500 ft.
Var.
picta,
Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 292.—Slender, often flaccid, 3–18 in. high. Leaves flat, grassy. Inflorescence lax, the clusters rather few, the lateral ones peduncled. Flowers ⅛–⅙ in. long. Perianth-segments linear-lanceo-late, long-acuminate, with very broad white membranous margins and a narrow stripe of dark or pale chestnut-brown down the middle. Capsule shorter than the perianth, obovoid, trigonous.—L. picta,
A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 146;
A. Cuiin. Precur. n. 295;
Raoul, Choix, 40;
Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zeal. i. 265:
Buchen. Monog. junc. 146. L. subclavata, C
ol. in Trans. N.Z. Inst, xviii. (1886) 276.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Abundant throughout, usually in shaded places. Sea-level to 3500 ft.
Var.
Banksiana,
Buchen. l.c.—Rather stout, 3–12 in. high or more. Leaves numerous, broad, sometimes ⅓ in. across, almost equalling the stem. Inflorescence congested into a conglobate head. Flowers large, ⅙ in. long.— L. Banksiana,
E. Mey. in Linnœa, xxii. (1849) 412. L. picta
var. Banksiana,
Buchen. Monog. junc. 147.
Locality?—I am not acquainted with this, which is probably an inter-mediate form between
picta and
australasica.
Var.
australasica,
Buchen. l.c. — Rather stout, 3–12 in. high or more. Leaves flat, coriaceous, ⅛–⅓ in. broad; margins thickened, cartilaginous, con-spicuously ciliate. Inflorescence contracted into an ovoid head ¼–¾ in. diam., often with several smaller lateral pedunculated heads. Upper bracts ciliate. Flowers about ⅛ in. long. Perianth-segments lanceolate, acuminate, margins broad, white, membranous, central stripe chestnut-brown or red. Capsule ovoid-trigonous, slightly shorter than the perianth.—L. australasica,
Steud. Syn. PL. Gyp. 294. L. Oldfieldii,
Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 68;
Handb. N.Z. Fl 293;
Benth. Fl. Austral. vii. 122.
North and South Islands, Chatham Islands, Stewart Island: Hilly and mountain districts from Taupo southwards, ascending to 4000 ft.
Var.
crinlta,
Buchen. l.c.—Stout, strict, 3–14 in. high. Leaves numerous, flat or involute, 1/12–¼ in. broad; margins thickened, densely and conspicuously ciliate. Inflorescence contracted into a compact ovoid head, sometimes with 1–3 smaller lateral peduncled ones. Lower bracts long, ciliate, involucrate; upper membranous, lacerate and densely ciliate. Flowers 1/10 in. long. Perianth segments lanceolate, long-acuminate, dark chestnut-brown, sometimes almost black. Capsule almost equalling the perianth.—L. crinita,
Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 84, t. 48;
Handb. N.Z. Fl. 293;
Buchen. Monog. junc. 151.
Auckland and Campbell Islands, Macquarie Island: Sea-level to 1400 ft. The typical form appears to be confined to the above localities, but intermediates between it and
australasica and
migrata are not uncommon in the mountains of the South Island. 24—FL
L. campestris is widely distributed in temperate and montane districts in most parts of the world, and is everywhere excessively variable. In arranging the New Zealand forms I have mainly followed Buchenau's paper on "
Luzula campestris and its Allied Species," printed in Oesfcerr. Bot. Zeitsch. 1898. It is necessary for the student to bear in mind that the characters given for the varieties are those of prominent forms only, that intermediates between all of them are plentiful, and that aberrant states are not uncommon. |
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L. racemosa,
Desv. Journ. Bot. i. (1808) 162; var.
Traversii,
Buchcn. Monog. junc. 133.—Stems densely tufted, very variable in size, usually from 6 to 12 in., but sometimes attain-ing 18 in. and occasionally dwarfed to 4 in., slender, often attenu-ate above. Leaves radical and a few cauline, all much shorter than the stem, 1–6 in. long, rarely more, 1/10–¼ in. broad at the base and from thence gradually tapering upwards, apex subulate, not obtuse as in the forms of
L. campestris; margins flat or involute, ciliate with long hairs. Inflorescence terminal, erect or nodding, compound, of several short and dense spikes either all congested into an ovoid head, or the lower 1 to 3 distinct and sometimes peduncled. Lower bracts foliaceous, often overtopping the in-florescence; upper membranous, with very broad white margins and apices, densely ciliate with long hairs. Flowers small, 1/10 in. long. Perianth-segments equal, or the outer slightly longer, lanceolate, awned, pale-chestnut with white and silvery margins. Stamens 3, rarely more. Capsule equalling the perianth, ovoid-globose, trigonous, mucronate, pale- or dark-chestnut, sometimes almost black. Seeds oblong-ovoid, ferruginous.
Var. ulophylla,
Buchen. in Oesterr. Bot. Zeitsch. 1898. — Stems small, slender, 3–6 in. high, rarely more. Leaves very narrow, straight or curved, convolute, margins and backs densely covered with a scurfy coating of white woolly hairs. Heads ovoid-globose or cylindrical, small, ¼–½ in. long; bracts pale. Capsule dark-chestnut.
South Island: Nelson — Mountains above the Wairau Gorge,
T. F. C. Marlborough—Mount Mouatt,
Kirk! Canterbury—Broken River Basin and Upper Waimakariri,
Kirk! T. F. C-, Cockayne! Mount Cook district,
T. F. C. Ocago—Mount Pisa, Mount Kyeburn, Old Man Range, Mount Ida,
Petrie! Mount Earnslaw,
Cockayne! Var.
ulophylla: Clarence Valley,
T. F. C.; Castle Hill,
Cockayne! Lake Wanaka,
Petrie! 2000–5500 ft. December–February.
Probably an abundant mountain-plant, but it is often confounded with varieties of
L. campestris with congested inflorescence. From all these it can be readily distinguished by the tapering leaves ending in an acute subulate point quite unlike the obtuse and often swollen leaf-tip of
L. campestris; also by the spiciform clusters, and by the broad bracts with white membranous margins densely ciliate with long hairs. Buchenau's var.
ulophylla appears to me to be quite as distinct as many species generally accepted by authors, and I am not acquainted with any intermediate forms. But the genus is so overloaded with synonymy that I leave it as it is for the present. The typical state of the species extends along the Andes from Mexico to Chili.
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