South Island: Abundant in mountain districts throughout. 3000–6500 ft. December–January.
A variable plant. The leaves are sometimes uniformly 1-pinnate with rather broad leaflets, at other times 2-pinnate at the base with narrower leaflets. The female umbels are usually paniculate, but occasionally the panicle is somewhat contracted, showing an approach to that of A. Lyallii.
10. A. polita, Cheesem.—Stems erect, 3–12 in. high, clothed at the base with the sheaths of the old leaves. Radical leaves numerous, very slender, firm but hardly coriaceous, 2–6 in. long or more, 2–3-pinnate; primary divisions 4–6 pairs; ultimate segments very narrow-linear, almost capillary, not more than 130 in. broad, mucronate but hardly pungent; petiole as long as the blade, sheath broad, membranous, produced at the tip into 2 almost filiform leaflets. Umbels compound, forming a loose open panicle, female slightly more contracted than the male. Bracts with a broad sheathing base, tipped with a pinnately divided leaflet. Male peduncles ½–1½ in. long, female ⅓–¾ in.; involucral bracts subulate-lanceolate. Pedicels short. Flowers white. Fruit narrow-oblong, not seen fully ripe, about 18 in. long.—Ligusticum politum, Kirk, Students' Fl. 202.
South Island: Nelson—Mount Duppa, Macmahon! Ben Nevis, Mount Starveall, and Mount Luna, Gibbs, Bryant, Kingsley; Mount Arthur Plateau and Mount Peel, T.F.C.; Mount Lockett, Gibbs! 4000–5500 ft. December–January.
Very closely allied to A. Monroi, but much more slender, and with less coriaceous almost membranous leaves, which are much more finely divided, the segments being sometimes nearly capillary. Mr. Kirk referred it to Ligusticum in the "Students' Flora," but it must certainly remain in the neighbourhood of A. Monroi.
11. A. Dobsoni, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 93.—Stout, smooth and shining, forming compact yellowish-brown patches 3–6 in. diam. Rootstock thick and woody, branched at the top. Leaves all radical, very numerous, densely imbricated, excessively thick and coriaceous, 1½–3 in. long; sheaths ½–1½ in. or more, ¾ in. broad; leaflets 3 at the top of the sheath, about equal, 1–2 in. long, ⅓ in. broad at the base, linear-subulate or dagger-shaped, rigid, concave, transversely jointed, keeled at the back towards the top, pungent-pointed. Flowering-stem very stout, almost as thick as the little finger, grooved. Umbels 4–5, clustered at the top of the stem, forming a capitate inflorescence; peduncles short, thick. Fruiting umbels densely packed, forming a rounded head 1 in. in diam. or more. Fruit linear-oblong, 18 in. long; carpels 4–5-winged, but not seen quite ripe.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 210.
South Island: On shingle-slopes, rare. Canterbury—Mount Dobson, Dobson and Haast, T.F.C.; mountains above Lake Ohau, Buchanan! Otago—Near Lake Hawea, Haast; Mount St. Bathans, Petrie! 5000–6500 ft.
A most remarkable plant, nowhere plentiful, and seldom seen in flower or fruit.
