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Abrotanella. | COMPOSITAE. 1005 
7. A. pusilla Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 139.—A small densely 
matted moss-like plant, forming extensive carpets in peaty localities. Stems 
short, wiry, leafy, emitting long fibrous roots. Leaves crowded, spreading 
or recurved, 4in. long or more, narrow-linear, acute at the tip, rigid and 
coriaceous, flat or concave above, midrib prominent beneath. Head soli- ° 
tary, jin. diam., sunk amongst the uppermost leaves or on very short 
stout peduncles; involucral bracts linear, obtuse, coriaceous, nerved. 
Style of the disc-florets bifid. Achenes of the female florets linear-clavate, 
4-angled.—T. Kirk Students’ Fl. (1899) 332 ; Cheesem. Man. N.Z, Fl. (1906) 
362; Ill. N.Z. Fl. i (1914) t. 109, B. Trineuron pusillum Hook. f. Ll. Nov. 
Zel. 1 (1853) 131. 
Nort Isnanp: Peaty places on the Ruahine Mountains, Colenso / B. UC, Asion! 
Tararua Mountains, Mount Holdsworth, W. Jewnson/ Mount Hector, Petrie! Bb. C, 
Aston / 3000-5000 ft. December—lebruary. 
A. pusilia is chiefly distinguished from the other New Zealand species by its small 
size and densely matted habit, by the narrow-linear recurved leaves, acute at the tips, 
and by the linear-clavate 4-angled achenes. 
8. A. museosa 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv (1892) 422, t. 36.— 
Stems very minute, $-lin. high, either solitary or forming dense patches 
lin. diam. Leaves closely imbricating, erect, §-4+ in. long, linear or 
linear-oblong, truncate or retuse at the tip; upper} excessively coriaceous 
and rigid, somewhat concave, margins much thickened and cartilaginous ; 
lower 4 membranous, sheathing. Heads minute, solitary, concealed 
amongst the uppermost leaves; involucral bracts 5, oblong, obtuse or 
acute or apiculate, nerveless or nearly so. Florets 4-8; females narrow, 
cylindrical, obscurely toothed at the mouth ; disc-florets tubular, 4-toothed. 
Achenes oblong, truncate above, setose, obscurely tetragonous, with a long 
bristle at each angle.—Students’ Fl. (1899) 332; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 
(1906) 363. 
Stewart [sLAND: Summit of Rakiahua, alt. 2300 ft., 7. Kirk / Cockayne ; “Table 
Hill, Cockayne, January—lebruary. 
A very remarkable little plant, closely allied to A. emarginata €ass.., from the 
Falkland Islands. It is one of the smallest flowering plants in the Dominion, and in a 
barren state might easily be mistaken for a Brywm or Tortula. 
9. A. Christenseni Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xlvii (1915) 51.—** Leaves 
radical, rosulate, 4-2in. long, 41in. broad, narrow-cuneate, thin, obtuse, 
shortly toothed at and near the tip, above sparsely clad with rather long 
slender hairs composed of a single row,of éells ; under-surface more glabrous 
except ‘on the evident midrib. _ Scapes several, erect, simple, slender, 
sparsely pilose, with 2usmally opposite linear bracts near the base, maturing 
irregularly and in fruit elongating to fin. Heads solitary, small, yg-zo in. 
diam. 5 involucral bracts in 2 series, shortly oblong, obtuse, thin, crenately 
wavy at’ the top, the inner narrower; florets numerous, minute, not 
exceeding lie involucre. Achenes 20 or fewer, linear-oblong, compressed, 
shigh thickened along the margin.” 
SoutH Istanp: Nelson—Bare spots in grassy places, Hanmer Plains, C. EL. 
‘1StENS nf 
ag: very curious and distinct plant, not at all resembling any of the other New Zealand 
ecies, Only 2 specimens, which have been kindly Jent to me for examination by 
Mr. Petrie, have been found. 1 much regret that the material is insufficient to satisfy 
pie the species is a true Abrotanella. 
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