entire or obscurely toothed or crenate, in alpuie specimens often thick and coriaceous; margins sometimes white and cartilaginous. Peduncles leafless, 1-flowered, 2–8 in. high. Flowers variable in size, ⅓–1 in. diam., white or pale-blue. Calyx-tube obconic; lobes ovate-subulate, shorter than the corolla-tube. Corolla campanulate, 5-lobed, straight or slightly oblique. Anthers short, linear-oblong, 1 or 2 of them tipped with a short point. Capsule obconic or turbinate, 2–3-celled. Seeds numerous, compressed, smooth.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 160; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 170; Fl. Tasm. i. 239, t. 71; Bot. Mag. t. 6613; Benth. Fl. Austral. iv. 138. W. albomarginata, Hook. Ic. Plant. t. 818. W. pygmaea, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxxi. (1899) 273. Streleskia montana, Hook. f. in Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. vi. (1847) 266. Campanula saxicola, B. Br. Prodr. 561.
Var. congesta.—Stems creeping, much branched and interlaced, forming densely matted patches several inches in diam. Leaves ½–1 in. long, orbicular- or oblong-spathulate, suddenly narrowed into a petiole often longer than the blade. Peduncles short, ¾–2 in. long. Flowers ⅓–½ in. diam., pale-blue. Capsule globose, ¼–⅓ in. diam.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: Abundant in hilly and mountainous situations from the East Cape and Taupo southwards. Var. congesta: Cape Foulwind, near Westport, W. Townson! Sea-level to 6000 ft. December–February.
Almost as variable as the preceding. There are two chief forms, one rather larger, with broad thinnish leaves, a long peduncle, and handsome large white flowers; the other smaller, with usually narrower and more coriaceous leaves and smaller blue flowers. Mr. Townson's plant from Cape Foulwind, which forms broad densely matted patches in sandy soil, has a very distinct appearance, and almost deserves specific rank.
3. W. cartilaginea, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 170.—A small glabrous or pubescent perennial herb 1–4 in. high. Leaves mostly radical, ⅓–1 in. long, broadly spathulate, obtuse, very thick and coriaceous; margins much thickened, entire, white, cartilaginous; petioles broad and flat, thickly coriaceous. Peduncles short, stout, erect, naked or with 1 or 2 leaves, sometimes forked. Flower large for the size of the plant, ½–¾ in. diam., sweet-scented. Calyx-tube short, almost globose; lobes large, linear-oblong, with thick white cartilaginous margins. Corolla shorter than the calyx-lobes and included within them, broad, 5-partite almost to the base. Capsule turbinate.
South Island: Nelson—Wairau Gorge, Rough! Kirk! Tarndale, Sinclair! Clarence and Wairau Valleys, Travers. 3500–6000 ft. January.
A very remarkable species, easily distinguished by the broad and thick cartilaginous margins to the leaves, large calyx-lobes, and small deeply divided corolla, which is altogether included within the calyx. It is apparently rare and local, and I have only seen very indifferent specimens.
