362 COMPOSIT#. [Abrotanella. 
numerous, spreading, 4—3in. long, linear, often curved, obtuse, 
coriaceous, more or less pilose towards the sheathing base. Scapes 
slender, 4-3in. high, sometimes forked, with 2-5 linear obtuse 
bracts. Heads usually solitary, 4-Lin. 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. 
SoutH IsLaAnp: Not uncommon on the mountains from Nelson to Foyveaux 
Strait ; most plentiful on the western side of the central range; altitudinal range 
from 2500 to 4500ft. Srewart Istanp: Not uncommon. Sea-level to 
2500 ft. December-January. 
4. A. ceespitosa, Petrie ex T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. 
(1892) 420.—A small densely tufted moss-like plant, often forming 
broad flat patches; stems seldom more than 4in. high. Leaves 
numerous, spreading or recurved, 41-4 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 soli- 
tary, ;;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. 
SoutH Istanp: Nelson—Mount Arthur, Mount Owen, 7. F.C. Can- 
terbury—Mountains above the Broken River, Craigieburn Mountains, Petrie ! 
T. F.C. Otago—Clarke’s Diggings, Mount Ida, Mount Kyeburn, Petrie! 
3000-6000 ft. - December—January. 
Probably only an alpine state of A linearis. 
5. A. inconspicua, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 140.—A densely 
tufted moss-like plant, forming soft rounded patches; stems 4-2 in. 
long, densely leafy. Leaves numerous, spreading or ascending, 
1-1 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, +,4in. diam., sunk 
amongst the uppermost leaves; involucral bracts limear-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. 
Souru Istanp: Otago—Mount Alta, Hector and Buchanan ! Black Peak, 
A. McKay! common on all the higher mountains of the interior, Petrie! 
4000-6000 ft. December—January. 
6. A. pusilla, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 139.—A minute tuited 
moss-like plant. Stems slender, wiry, leafy, $-lin. long, emitting 
long fibrous roots. Leaves crowded, spreading or recurved, 4in. 
