A well-marked plant, the only near ally of which is the following species, which may prove to be a form of it.
48. V. quadrifaria, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii. (1896) 521.—Habit, size, and general appearance of V. tetrasticha, but the branchlets are more slender and wiry, about 115 in. diam. with the leaves on, tetragonous with the faces flat, not concave. Leaves most densely quadrifariously imbricated, opposite pairs very shortly connate at the base and forming a ring clasping the branch, closely appressed, 118–116 in. long, broadly triangular, acute or subacute, coriaceous, concave in front, rounded on the back, not keeled; margins ciliolate towards the base or throughout their whole length. Flowers small, white, 110 in. diam., arranged in very short axillary 2–4-flowered spikes, the spikes usually capitate at the tip of tiie branchlets. Calyx 4-partite ahnost to the base; segments linear-oblong, obtuse, ciliolate. Corolla-tube short, equalling the calyx; lobes 4, rounded, spreading. Stamens 2; filaments short. Ovary seated in a cupular disc. Capsule twice as long as the calyx, oblong-obovoid, compressed, obtuse.—Mitrasacme Cheesemanii, Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 348, t. 29, f. 2.
South Island: Nelson—Mount Percival, T. F. C.; Mount Charon, Cockayne! Canterbury—Mount Dobson, T. F. C. Otago—Mount Alta, Buchanan! 3500–6000 ft. December–March.
Very near to the preceding, from which it differs in the more slender branchlets, which are tetragonous with almost flat sides, not concave; and in the smaller leaves, which are more closely appressed, and are broadly triangular with straight edges. In V. tetrasticha the leaves are rather suddenly narrowed above the broad base, so that the margin is curved, not straight. The flowers and capsules are also smaller than in V. tetrasticha.
49. V. tumida, T. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii. (1896) 521.—A prostrate or decumbent much-branched plant forming broad depressed patches 6–18 in. diam.; branches very numerous, obtusely tetragonous, with the leaves on 112–110 in. diam., black when dry. Leaves densely imbricated, opposite pairs connate at the base, 115–112 in. long, broadly ovate-deltoid, tumid, obtuse, concave in front, rounded or obtusely keeled at the back, margins ciliolate. Flowers in 2–4 flowered abbreviated spikes at the ends of the branchlets, small, ⅛–⅙ in. diam., white. Calyx deeply 4-partite; segments linear-oblong, obtuse, ciliolate. Corolla-tube short; limb with 4 nearly equal spreading oblong obtuse lobes. Stamens 2, included; anthers almost as long as the filaments. Ovary seated in a cupular disc. Capsule exceeding the calyx, subcompressed. broadly oblong, obtuse.
South Island: Nelson—Gordon's Nob and St. Arnaud Mountains, Monro, T. F. C.; Mount Rintoul and Ben Nevis, F. G. Gibbs! Mount Starveall, W. H. Bryant! Mount Richmond, J. H. Macmahon! Otago—Herb. Buchanan! (exact locality not stated). 3000–5000 ft. December–February.
