# Manual of the New Zealand Flora/Stylidieæ

Order XXXIX. STYLIDIEÆ.
A small order, comprising 5 genera and about 110 species, mainly confined to Australia, 97 species being endemic therein. Of the 3 New Zealand genera, Oreostylidum is endemic; Phyllachne extends to antarctic South America; while Forstera has a single species in Tasmania in addition to the 3 New Zealand ones.
A. Stems densely matted, forming hard bright-green convex patches. Capsule turbinate. :
| Leaves densely imbricated. Flowers sessile among the leaves at the tips of the branches | 1. Phyllachne. |
| B. Stems not forming compact patches. Capsule ovoid or oblong. ||
| Stems short. Leaves tufted, squarrose, subulate. Scapes shorter than the leaves. Calyx 2-lipped | 2. Oreostylidium. |
| Stems slender, branched. Scapes long. Calyx 5–6-lobed, not bilabiate | 3. Forstera. |
1. PHYLLACHNE, Forst.
Densely tufted perfectly glabrous moss-like plants, forming hard and compact flat or convex masses in alpine localities. Leaves small, closely imbricating. Flowers sessile among the leaves at the tips of the branches, monœcious or polygamo-diœcious. Calyx-tube obconic; lobes 5–9, equal or slightly unequal. Corolla almost regular; tube short; limb spreading, with 4–9 subequal ​lobes, often glandular at the base. Column short, straight, erect Epigynous glands 2, semi-lunar. Ovary obovoid-turbinate, broad at the top, imperfectly 2-celled at the base. Capsule small, turbinate, flattened at the summit, coriaceous, indehiscent. Seeds numerous, obovoid.
The genus difiers from Forstera mainly in habit and in the turbinate capsule. In addition to the three species found in New Zealand there is another in Fuegia. The New Zealand forms are much too closely allied, and should probably be treated as varieties of P. clavigera. They were separated mainly on account of differences in the width of the leaves and length of the column, but these characters break down when a large series of specimens is under examination.
| Leaves linear, broad at the base. Column scarcely exserted | 1. P. clavigera. |
| Leaves shorter, broadly ovate at the base. Column much exserted | 2. P. Colensoi. |
| Leaves linear, not broad at the base. Column included or scarcely exserted | 3. P. rubra. |
1. P. clavigera, F. Muell. Fragm. viii 40.—Stems short, 1–2½ in. long, most densely compacted, leafy throughout. Leaves erect, imbricated in very many series, ⅙ in. long, linear-oblong with a dilated base, concave in front, convex at the back, very thick ana coriaceous, quite entire; tips obtuse, thickened and knobbed, a glandular pore on the back just below the apex. Flowers white, ⅛–⅙ in. diam. Calyx-lobes 5–6, linear-oblong, obtuse. Corolla-lobes 5–7, obovate, those of the male flowers without glands at the base or with very indistinct ones, the females or hermaphrodites with conspicuous linear glands. Column stout, erect, slightly exserted. Anthers narrow-reniform. Stigmas of the female flowers large, plumose-papillose; of the males or hermaphrodites smaller, smooth, almost hidden between the anthers. Capsule turbinate, ultimately opening by the falling-away of the top. Seeds 6–8.—Helophyllum clavigerum, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 167. Forstera clavigera. Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i. 38, t. 28. F. aretriastrifolia, Homb. & Jacq. Bot. Voy. Astrol. et. Zèl. t. 16c.
South Island: Various localities in the Alps of Canterbury and Otago, apparently not common; altitude 4000–6000 ft. Auckland and Campbell Islands: Abundant on the hills; 500–1250 ft. December–March.
For a full account of this singular plant reference should be made to the detailed description and excellent plate given in the "Flora Antarctica."
2. P. Colensoi, Berggren in Minnesk. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) 11.—Habit and appearance of P. clavigera, but leaves shorter and broader, often broadly ovate at the base. Flowers rather smaller; column much longer and more slender, far exserted beyond the corolla in the usual state.—Helophyllum Colensoi, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 168. H. muscoides, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi. (1894) 318. Forstera clavigera, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 155 (not of Fl. Antarct.).
Var. Haastii.—Upper half of leaf narrower, semiterete, not thickened at the tip.—P. Haastii, Berggr. in Journ. Bot. ix. n.s. (1880) 104. P. Colensoi, Berggr. in Minnesk. Fisiog. Sallnk. Lund. (1877) t. 3, f. 1 to 27.
North and South Islands, Stewart Island: From Hikurangi, Tongariro, and Mount Egmont southwards, an abundant alpine plant. 3000–6000 ft. December–February.
This appears to pass imperceptibly into P. clavigera, and should be regarded as a variety of that species.
3. P. rubra, Cheesem.—Stems shorter than in P. clavigera, ½–1 in. high, densely tufted, frequently bare of leaves below. Leaves erect, very densely imbricated, linear, not dilated at the base or very obscurely so, very thick and coriaceous; tips much thickened, forming a large globose knob. Flowers ⅙–⅕ in. diam., white, but becoming dark-red when dry. Corolla-lobes 5–7, unequal. Column stout, included or slightly exserted.—Helophyllum rubrum, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 168; Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 351, t. 31, f. 2.
South Island: Otago—Mount Aspiring Range, Buchanan and McKay! Mount Arnould and the Hector Mountains, Petrie! 4500–6000 ft. January–March.
This is evidently close to P. clavigera, but the large globose knobs at the tips of the leaves give it a distinct appearance.
2. OREOSTYLIDIUM, Berggr.
A small stemless perennial herb. Leaves numerous, all radical. Scape short, 1-flowered. Calyx more or less evidently 2-lipped; lower lip 2-tid, upper lip 3-tid. Corolla almost regular, campanulate, deeply 5-lobed; the lobes equal in size, irregularly spreading. Column short, straight, erect, much shorter than the corolla-lobes; anthers didymous, 4-celled and 4-lobed; lobes ultimately spreading; stigma placed between the anthers, 2-lobed, lobes spreading and deflexed. Ovary 2-celled or 1-celled by imperfection of the dissepiment; ovules numerous, attached to the centre of the dissepiment. Capsule coriaceous, indehiscent or tardily rupturing, more or less completely 2-celled. Seeds numerous, obovoid; testa lax, cellular.
A monotypic genus confined to New Zealand. It differs from Stylidium in the corolla-lobes being equal in size, in the short erect column, and in the indehiscent fruit.
1. O. subulatum, Berggr. in Minnesk. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) n. viii. 1, t. 1.—Small, densely tufted. Rootstock short, often emitting stolons; roots long, fibrous. Leaves spreading and recurved, ½–1½ in. long, linear-subulate, mucronate or almost pungent, rigid when dry, concave above, slightly convex beneath, quite glabrous; margins entire. Scape much shorter than the ​leaves, stout, and with the calyx glandular-pubescent. Flower small, ⅙ in. diam. Calyx-lobes variable in depth. Corolla- lobes oblong, obtuse. Capsule ¼ in. long, ovoid-oblong, almost woody.—O. affine, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 197. Stylidium(?) subulatum, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 168. Phyllachne (Forstera) subulata, F. Muell. in Journ. Bot. 1878, 174.
North Island: Base of Tongariro, Berggren, Kirk! Ruahine Mountains, H. Tryon! South Island: Nelson—Not uncommon in mountain districts, Travers, Haast, Buchanan! T.F.C.; Mount Rochfort, Townson! Otago—Wet peaty localities in the east and south, Berggren, Kirk! Petrie! Buchanan. Stewart Island: Petrie! Kirk! Sea-level to 4000 ft. December–March.
3. FORSTERA, Linn. f.
Glabrous perennial herbs. Stems simple or branched, erect or decumbent. Leaves small, entire, densely or laxly imbricating, spreading or recurved. Peduncles terminal, slender, 1-flowered or more rarely 2–5-flowered. Flowers white, erect or nodding, sometimes unisexual. Calyx-tube ovoid; lobes 5 or 6, equal or nearly so. Corolla almost regular; tube short; limb campanulate, with 5–9 nearly equal lobes; throat naked or glandular. Column short, erect. Ovary oblong or ovoid, imperfectly 2-celled at the base. Capsule 1-celled, somewhat membranous, opening at the apex. Seeds numerous, elliptical or fusiform; testa lax, produced at each end.
In addition to the three species described below, which are confined to New Zealand, there is another from the mountains of Tasmania.
| Leaves ⅛–¼ in., imbricate, recurved, sessile, obovate-spathulate; midrib broad and thick, cuneate | 1. F. sedifolia. |
| Leaves ¼–½ in., close-set, spreading and recurved, sessile, obovate or linear-obovate; midrib indistinct | 2. F. Bidwillii. |
| Leaves ¼–⅔ in., lax, erect or spreading, shortly petioled, oblong-obovate; midrib obsolete | 3. F. tenella. |
1. P. sedifolia, Linn. f. Suppl. 407.—Stems 2–12 in. long, stout or slender, simple or sparingly divided, rarely much branched, erect or decumbent at the base, densely leafy throughout. Leaves closely imbricating, spreading and recurved, sessile by a broad base, ⅛–¼ in. long, obovate-spathulate or oblong-spathulate, obtuse, very thick and coriaceous, shining, often reddish-brown, nerveless above, midrib thickened and almost cuneate beneath; margins broad, cartilaginous. Peduncle slender, strict, 2–4 in. long, 1–2-flowered. Flowers very variable in size, ¼–½ in. diam. or more. Bracts 2–3, oblong, obtuse. Calyx-lobes 6, linear-oblong, obtuse. Corolla-tube very short; lobes 6, linear-oblong, obtuse, each with 2 linear glands at the base. Column short; anthers 2, sessile at the top of the column, transverse, reniform; stigma 2-lobed, the lobes spreading between the anthers, papillose. Epigynous glands 2, narrowclavate. Capsule oblong-clavate.—A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 229; A. ​Cunn. Precur. n. 427; Raoul, Choix, 45; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 154; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 166; Berggr. in Minnesk. Fisiog. Sallsk. Lund. (1877) n. viii. 9, t. 2, f. 20. Phyllachne sedifolia, F. Muell. Fragm. viii. 40.
Var. oculata.—Flowers much larger, ½–¾ in., usually with a dark eye.
South Island, Stewart Island: Not uncommon on the higher mountains, chiefly in the central and western districts. Var. oculata: Mount Rochfort, near Westport, W. Townson! Humboldt Mountains, Cockayne! Clinton Saddle, Petrie! Frazer Peaks (Stewart Island), Thomson and Petrie! Altitudinal range, 2000–5000 ft. December–March.
Best distinguished by the short and broad very coriaceous recurved leaves, with a broad and thick cuneate midrib beneath.
2. F. Bidwillii, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 155.—Stems 2–8 in. long, rather stout, usually branched above, decumbent or rooting below, lower part naked and scarred, often reddish, upper portion leafy. Leaves numerous, close-set, spreading and often recurved, ¼–½ in. long, obovate or linear-obovate to linear-oblong, obtuse or subacute, coriaceous, not shining, green, nerveless above, midrib very indistinct beneath; margins cartilaginous, flat or recurved. Peduncle 2–4 in. long, 1–3-flowered. Flowers much as in F. sedifolia, but smaller, ¼–⅓ in. diam., rarely more. Corolla-lobes shorter and broader, linear glands at the base of the lobes more conspicuous. Epigynous glands subulate. Capsule oblong-clavate.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 167; Berggr. l.c. t. 2, f. 1 to 19. F. truncatella, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx. (1888) 196. F. major, Col. l.c. xxxi. (1899) 272.
North and South Islands: Not uncommon in mountain districts from Hikurangi, Tongariro, and Mount Egmont to the south of Otago. 2500–6000 ft. December–March.
Closely allied to the preceding, but perhaps sufficiently distinct in the longer and more laxly placed less coriaceous leaves, which have a very indistinct midrib beneath. Berggren's figure is by no means characteristic of the usual state of the species.
3. F. tenella, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 155.—Very closely allied to F. Bidwillii, and probably a mere variety of that plant, but more slender and less branched, with much fewer laxly placed leaves. Leaves erect or spreading, seldom recurved, ¼–½ in. long or more, narrow oblong-obovate, obtuse or subacute, narrowed into a short petiole, dark-green and veinless above, midrib obsolete beneath, hardly coriaceous; margins flat or recurved. Flowers similar to those of F. Bidwillii, but rather narrower. Capsule narrow-clavate.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 167; Berggr. l.c. t. 2, f. 21 to 39.
North and South Islands: Mountain districts from the Ruahine Range southwards; not uncommon. 1500–4500 ft. December–March.