73. V. linifolia, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 214.—A small much and diffusely branched procumbent herb; branches slender, often rooting below, ascending at the tips, terete, glabrous, 2–9 in. long or more. Leaves numerous, closely placed, spreading, ⅓–1 in. long, 110–16 in. broad, linear, obtuse at the tip, narrowed into a rather long broad petiole, flat, subcoriaceous, quite entire; margins of petiole ciliate. Racemes 1–3 towards the ends of the branches, 1–2 in. long, slender, naked below, 2–5-flowered; bracts ⅛–⅓ in. long, linear, obtuse; pedicels long, ¼–1 in., slender, curved. Flowers large, ⅓–½ in. diam., white or pale-rose. Calyx ⅙ in. long, deeply 4-partite; segments linear-oblong, obtuse. Corolla-tube very short; limb broad, spreading, 4-lobed; lobes broad, rounded, veined. Stamens equalling the corolla-lobes. Capsule broadly obcordate, rather shorter than the calyx.—Armstr. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 349.
South Island: Nelson—Mount Owen, W. Townson! Mount Franklin, Park; Lake Tennyson, T.F.C. Canterbury—Broken River, Petrie! Craigieburn Mountains, Cockayne; Upper Waimakariri, Enys! T.F.C.; Ashburton Mountains, Potts! Clyde Glacier and Mount Darwin, Haast. Westland—Otira Valley, T.F.C.; Okarito, A. Hamilton. Otago— Lake Wanaka, Buchanan! mountains near Arrowtown, Petrie! 1500–4500 ft. December–January.
A very distinct and well-marked plant.
74. V. catarractæ, Forst. Prodr. n. 9.—Stems slender, terete, sparingly branched, suberect, or prostrate below and then ascending, 6–24 in. long, glabrous or bifariously pubescent, woody at the base. Leaves rather distant, shortly petiolate, spreading, 1–4 in. long, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, coarsely and sharply serrate, coriaceous or submembranous, flat, 1-nerved, paler beneath. Racemes few or many towards the tips of the branches, solitary and axillary, slender, curved or erect, 3–9 in. long, many-flowered; pedicels slender, puberulous, ⅓–1 in. long; bracts linearsubulate. Flowers ⅓–½ in. diam., white or pale-rose. Calyx deeply 4-partite; segments ovate-lanceolate or oblong-ovate, acute or acuminate. Corolla with a very short tube and 4 rounded spreading lobes. Capsule broadly oblong, turgid, emarginate or almost 2-lobed, usually about ⅓ longer than the calyx.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 189; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 380; Raoul, Choix, 43; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 195; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 216. V. irrigans, Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. ii. (1870) 94.
Var. lanceolata, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 195.—Stems shorter and more slender. Leaves ½–1½ in. long, 112–18 in. broad, linear or narrow linear-lanceolate.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 216. V. lanceolata, Benth. in. D.C. Prodr. x. 462.
Var. diffusa, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 216.—Procumbent, diffusely branched. Leaves ½–1½ in. long, ovate or ovate-oblong, acute. Calyx-segments ovate, acute.—V. diffusa, Hook. f. Ic. Plant. t. 645; Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 195.
North and South Islands: From the Thames goldfields to the south of Otago, but often local. Most plentiful on the west coast of the South Island. Sea-level to 3000 ft. November–January.
