Var. major, Cheesem.—Taller and stouter. Leaves larger, spreading, ¼–½ in. long, obovate or obovate-oblong, narrowed to the base, midrib often distinct beneath. Spikes larger, 1 in. long; peduncle and rhachis densely villous. Style conspicuously villous.
Var. exigua, Cheesem.—Branches numerous, twiggy. Leaves narrower, ⅙–¼ in., oblong-ovate, subacute, obscurely keeled. Spikes small, ⅓ in. long, few-flowered.
South Island: Canterbury—Mount Cook district (var. major and exigua), T.F.C. Otago—Mount Alta, Buchanan! Mount Arnould, Perie! Mount Kyeburn (var. major), Petrie! H. J. Matthews! 3000–6000 ft. December–February.
Also a very variable plant. The extreme state, represented by Buchanan's Mount Alta specimens, is easily recognised by the small uniform close-set almost orbicular spreading leaves and capitate spikes; but larger forms approach V. pinguifolia so closely that it is difficult to draw a line of demarcation between the two species. My var. major might be referred to either.
45. V. pimeleoides, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 195.—A small much-branched prostrate or suberect shrubby plant 3–18 in. high; branches rather slender, straggling, pubescent or almost villous, rarely glabrous. Leaves usually rather laxly placed, rarely closeset, spreading or suberect, sessile, ⅙–⅓ in. long, obovate-oblong or ovate-oblong to elliptic-lanceolate, obtuse or subacute, coriaceous, glaucous, obtusely keeled. Spikes near the tips of the branches, peduncled, exceeding the leaves, ½–1 in. long; rhachis villouspubescent; bracts large, almost or quite equalling the calyx, ciliate. Flowers ¼ in. diam., dark purplish-blue, sessile. Calyx 4-partite; segments ovate, acute, ciliate. Corolla-tube very short, not equalling the calyx; limb broad, spreading, 4-lobed; lobes broad, obtuse, the anterior one narrower than the others. Capsule ⅙ in. long, ovate, acute, turgid, glabrous or slightly pubescent, twice as long as the calyx.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 211; Armstr. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 350.
Var. glauco-cærulea, Cheesem.—Larger and stouter, more intensely glaucous. Leaves ⅓–½ in. long, obovate or obovate-oblong, shortly petiolate. Flowers dark-blue or purple. V. glauco-caerulea, Armstr. l.c. 353.
Var. minor. Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 738.—Smaller, 1–4 in. high, sparingly branched. Leaves smaller and narrower, ⅛–⅙ in. long, lanceolate to oblongovate, usually acute. Spikes small, few-flowered.
South Island: Mountains of Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago, not uncommon in dry places. 1000–3500 ft. November–January.
Well marked by the small size, prostrate or straggling habit, small glaucous leaves, villous spikes, and purplish-blue flowers.
46. V. Gilliesiana, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii. (1896) 519.—Stems prostrate or decumbent, much branched, 3–12 in. long; branches spreading or suberect, densely leafy, tetragonous, with the leaves on ¼–⅓ in. diam., bright-green when fresh, black when dry. Leaves densely imbricating, opposite pairs connate by
