long, broadly obloug or obovate, obtuse, with 1 or 2 deep notches on each side or entire, thick and coriaceous, black when dry. Peduncles axillary, remote from the ends of the branches, very long, 3–9 in., slender, strict, erect, glabrous or puberulous, few- or many-flowered; pedicels slender, erect, ¼–½ in. long; bracts small, oblong or linear-oblong, obtuse. Flowers about ⅓ in. diam. Calyx 4-partite; segments ovate or oblong, obtuse. Corolla-tube very short; limb with four spreading rounded lobes. Stamens shorter than the corolla-lobes. Capsule broadly oblong, retuse, exceeding the calyx.—Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 196; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 215; Armstr. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 349.
South Island: Not uncommon in mountain districts as far south as central Otago, usually on shingle-beds by the sides of streams, ascending to 4000 ft. November–February.
A much more prostrate plant than V. Lyallii, with smaller leaves which usually have only one or two serratures on each side, and with very long strict peduncles.
77. V. Hookeriana, Walp. Rep. iii. 341.—A small stout much or sparingly branched prostrate herb 3–10 in. long; branches short, stout, ascending, leafy, glandular-pubescent. Leaves crowded, very shortly petiolate, spreading, ¼–½ in. long, broadly ovate or oblong-ovate, obtuse, coarsely and obtusely crenate, thick and coriaceous, rigid, often black when dry, pubescent on both surfaces or glabrous above. Peduncles usually several, lateral or near the tips of the branches, 1–2 in. long, stout, erect, densely pubescent, bearing a 4–8-flowered corymbose raceme at the top; bracts, pedicels, and calyces densely glandular-pubescent. Flowers ¼–⅓ in. diam., white or white streaked with pink. Calyx 4-partite; segments ovate, obtuse. Corolla-tube very short; limb broad, spreading, 4-lobed; lobes rounded. Stamens rather shorter than the lobes. Capsule broadly oblong, about one-third longer than the calyx when mature.—V. nivea, Hook. f. Ic. Plant. t. 640 (not of Lindl.). V. nivalis, Benth. in D.C. Prodr. x. 477; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 196; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 215. V. compacta, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 202.
North Island: Tongariro and Ngauruhoe, Bidwill, Hill! Ruapehu, Kirk! Rev. F. H. Spencer! Petrie! 3000–5000 ft.
The usual state of this plant is excellently figured in the "Icones Plantarum." Its distinguishing characters are the stout habit, rather large closely placed almost sessile rigid and coriaceous leaves, stout glandular-pubescent peduncles, and short corymbose racemes of rather large flowers.
78. V. Olseni, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii. (1896) 607.—Stems prostrate, sparingly branched; branches short, rooting at the nodes, densely pubescent with short spreading hairs. Leaves shortly petioled, rather close-set, spreading, ¼–½ in. long, broadly ovate or almost orbicular, obtuse, deeply and coarsely serrate,
