17. C. perpusilla, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 143.—Often forming broad patches, more or less silky in all its parts. Rhizome much branched, creeping, rigid and wiry, 2–9 in. long or more; branchlets short, erect, leafy. Leaves tufted, silky on both surfaces, ¼–1 in. long, linear-oblong or linear-obovate, deeply pinnatifid; segments close-set, sometunes slightly recurved, deeply serrate on the upper edge or entire. Peduncles short, stout, rigid, silky, ¼–¾ in. long. Heads unisexual; males ⅛–⅙ in. diam.; involucral bracts in 1 or 2 series, broadly oblong, silky, with broad purple scarious margins. Florets numerous, eglandular, funnel-shaped. Female heads larger, ⅕–¼ in. diam.; involucral bracts in 3–4 series, larger and broader than in the males, incurved over the florets and often concealing them. Florets numerous; corolla ovoid, inflated at the base, contracted at the minutely toothed mouth. Achenes somewhat curved, rounded on the back or obscurely trigonous.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 327. Leptinella pusilla, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 129.
North Island: East Cape and Hawke's Bay, Colenso! South Island: Not uncommon throughout. Sea-level to 4500 ft. November–February.
18. C. squalida, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 143.—Stems long, slender, creeping, branched, 4–12 in. long or more, silky or pilose; branchlets short, erect. Leaves 1–2 in. long, linear-obovate in outline, petiolate, flaccid and membranous, more or less pilose with long soft hairs, deeply pinnatifid; segments rather lax, recurved, deeply incised along the upper margin or more rarely along both margins. Peduncles 1–3 in. long, slender, naked, silky. Heads unisexual; males ⅙–⅕ in. diam.; involucral bracts few, in 2 series, broadly oblong-obovate, silky, with broad purplish scarious margins. Florets numerous, eglandular, funnel-shaped. Female heads larger, ¼–⅓ in. diam.; involucral bracts in 3–4 series, broad, rounded, silky, purplish, usually incurved over the florets and concealing them. Florets numerous; corolla ovoid, inflated at the base, much contracted at the m.outh, minutely 4-toothed. Achene curved, rounded at the back, almost trigonous.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 328. Leptinella squalida, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 129.
North Island: Bay of Plenty, Petrie! East Cape and Hawke's Bay, Colenso! Mount Hikurangi, Adams and Petrie! Mount Egmont ranges, T.F.C. South Island: Not uncommon from Nelson to Foveaux Strait. Sea-level to 4000 ft. December–February.
Closely allied to C. perpusilla, but distinguished by the greater size, soft flaccid leaves with deeply incised segments, and by the larger pistillate heads, which have the involucral bracts so much incurved as to completely hide the florets.
19. C. dioica, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 143.—Stems creeping, rather stout or slender, glabrous or slightly hairy, 3–12 in. long. Leaves tufted or solitary, membranous, often flaccid, petiolate,
