North and South Islands, Stewart Island, Campbell Island: Not uncommon from the Auckland Isthmus southwards, usually in dry rocky places. Sea-level to 4500 ft. November–February.
An extremely variable little plant. Specimens from dry alpine localities are often densely tufted, almost pulvinate, and are usually clothed with long villous hairs. On the other hand, I have specimens from shaded places near the Waimakariri Glacier with slender prostrate sparingly leafy stems 6 in. long, with radical leaves 2 in. long. Mr. Kirk's subspecies Traillii does not seem to me to differ in any essential particular.
5. M. decora, T. Kirk, MSS.—Perennial; hoary in all its parts with appressed rigid white hairs. Stems 1–2 in. long, prostrate or decumbent, suberect at the tips, leafy throughout. Radical leaves numerous, spreading, ½–l¼ in. long, linear-oblong or linear-spathuiate, acute, narrowed into a short broad petiole, coriaceous, both surfaces clothed with appressed stiff hairs; cauline much smaller, the upper ones sessile. Flowers solitary in the axils of the upper leaves, white, ¼–⅓ in. long, pedicels short. Calyx densely hispid with stiff white hairs, 4-lobed to the middle; lobes linear, acute. Corolla-tube longer than the calyx, throat with 5 scales; limb broad, with 5 rounded lobes. Stamens with very short filaments; anthers very long, linear, their tips projecting considerably above the level of the corolla-scales. Style long, slender. Nutlets oblong, smooth and polished, black.—Exarrhena Colensoi, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvii. (1895) 351 (in part).
South Island: Canterbury—Limestone rocks in the Broken River basin, Enys! Kirk! Cockayne! T. F. C. 2000–3500 ft. December–January.
A curious little plant, remarkable for the large linear anthers, the tips of which stand up considerably above the corolla-scales.
6. M. australis, R. Br. Prodr. 495.—An erect densely hispid perennial herb 6–16 in. high; stems usually branched from the base, slender or rather stout, sparingly leafy. Radical leaves ¾–2 in. long, oblong-spathulate or linear-spathulate, obtuse, narrowed into long petioles, rather coriaceous, hispid on both surfaces; cauline distant, smaller and shorter, sessile, linear-oblong or linear-spathulate. Racemes elongated, many-flowered, hispid with spreading straight or hooked hairs. Flowers yellow or white, ⅕–¼ in. long; pedicels very short. Calyx densely hispid with spreading hooked hairs, divided ¾-way down or more; lobes linear-lanceolate, acute. Corolla-tube funnel-shaped, exceeding the calyx; throat with 5 scales; lobes shore, rounded. Stamens included; anther-tips about level with the corolla-scales. Style shorter than the calyx or very slightly exceeding it. Nutlets narrow-ovoid, polished and shining, black when fully ripe.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 201; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 193; Benth. Fl. Austral. iv. 405.
Var. conspicua.—Flowers larger, ⅓–½ in. long, ¼ in. diam., campanulate. Style considerably longer than the calyx.
