The genus includes the whole order except the monotypic genera Littorella and Bougeria, and has a world-wide distribution. With the exception of P. Brownii, which extends to Australia, all the New Zealand species are endemic. Several species from the Northern Hemisphere have become naturalised, the most abundant being P. major, Linn, and P. lanceolata, Linn.
| * Scapes many-flowered. | |
| Leaves 2–4 in., ovate or obovate. Spikes 2–6 in. Capsule 2-seeded | 1. P. aucklandica. |
| Leaves 2–10 in., lanceolate. Spikes ⅓–1 in. Bracts and calyx-segments glabrous. Capsule 4-seeded | 2. P. Raoulii. |
| Leaves 1–5 in., oblong-lanceolate. Spikes ¼–1 in. Bracts and calyx-segments pilose and ciliate | 3. P. spathulate. |
| ** Scapes few-flowered. Plants small; leaves ¼–2 in. long. | |
| Leaves oblong-lanceolate, glabrous or sparsely pilose. Scape 1–8-flowered. Calyx-segments obtuse, glabrous. Capsule 8-seeded | 4. P. Brownii. |
| Leaves oblong-spathulate, densely clothed with tortuous woolly hairs. Scape 1–5-flowered. Calyx-segments subacute. Capsule 12–15-seeded | 5. P. lanigera. |
| Leaves linear or lanceolate, densely villous at the base. Scape 1-flowered. Calyx-segments very minute, obtuse. Corolla-lobes and stamens often 3. Capsule 20–30-seeded | 6. P. triandra. |
| Leaves linear-lanceolate, villous at the base. Scape 1-flowered. Calyx-segments acute, more than half as long as the capsule | 7. P. uniflora. |
1. P. aucklandica, Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 64, t. 42.—Rhizome stout, often as thick as the thumb, 3–4 in. long, sometimes elongated above the ground, rarely branched at the top. Leaves all radical, densely crowded, 2–4 in. long, elliptic-obovate to obovate-lanceolate, obtuse or subacute, gradually narrowed into a short broad petiole, glabrous, fleshy, 7–10-nerved, remotely and obscurely sinuate-dentate; petioles villous at the very base with long soft brown hairs. Scapes numerous, stout, pilose or pubescent, much longer than the leaves. Spikes 2–6 in. long; flowers small, sessile, densely packed above the middle of the spike, laxly placed towards the base. Bracts broadly ovate, obtuse, concave, glabrous, rather shorter than the calyx; corolla-lobes elliptic-oblong, acute, patent or reflexed. Capsule ovoid, about twice as long as the calyx, 2-seeded.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 228.
Auckland Islands: Not uncommon on the hills, alt. 1000ft., Sir J. D. Hooker, Kirk! F. R. Chapman!
A very distinct species, with something of the habit of the European P. media, Linn.
2. P. Raoulii, Decne. in D.C. Prodr. xiii. i. 703.—Rootstock short, stout. Leaves numerous, all radical, erect or rosulate, 2–10 in. long, oblong-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, subacute, narrowed into a rather long broad petiole, irregularly sinuate-toothed or quite entire, 3–5-nerved, more or less pilose or almost
