1. L. Colensoi, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 293.—Small, moss-like, densely tufted, nearly glabrous, forming rounded cushions 1–3 in. across. Stems very short. Leaves much longer than the stems, ¼–¾ in. long, subulate, tapering from a broad sheathing base to an obtuse tip, rigid and coriaceous, channelled in front, convex on the back, glabrous above the middle, margins of the sheath and lower part of the leaf sparingly ciliate. Inflorescence of 2 to 6 few-flowered fascicles compacted into a dense head concealed among the leaves; lower bracts leafy, exceeding the flowers; remainder small, white, membranous, lacerate. Flowers about 112 in. long. Perianth-segments equal, ovate-lanceolate, acute or subacute, chestnut-brown with pale membranous margins and tips. Stamens 6, from slightly shorter to slightly longer than the segments. Capsule almost equalling the perianth, ovoid-globose, trigonous, red-brown. Seeds ferruginous, obliquely ovoid.—Buchen. Monog. Junc. 145.
North Island: Mount Egmont, T.F.C.; Ruapehu, H. Hill! Rev. F. H. Spencer! Ruahine Mountains, Colenso! Mount Holdsworth, W. Townson! South Island: Nelson Gordon's Nob, Mount Owen, Mount Peel, T.F.C. Westland—Kelly's Hill, Petrie! Cockayne! Otago—Longwood Range, Kirk! 4000–6000 ft. January–February.
Easily distinguished by its small size and very short stems, the flowers being sunk among the leaves. Buchenau's var. macrostemon (Oesterr. Bot, Zeit. 1898), separated on account of the stamens slightly exceeding the perianth, does not appear to me to be really distinct, the stamens often varying in length.
2. L. micrantha, Buchen. in Oesterr. Bot. Zeit. 1898.—Densely tufted, forming compact rounded patches. Stems rigid, erect, ½–1½ in. high, leafy at the base. Leaves equalling the stems, straight, rigid, erect, narrow-linear, obtuse at the tip, broadly sheathing at the base, flat or slightly concave in front, rounded or almost flat at the back; margins cartilaginous, glabrous; sheaths membranous, striate, slightly ciliate at the tip. Inflorescence simple, terminal, capitate, 3–8-flowered; the lowest bract (or the 2 lowest) foliaceous, overtopping the inflorescence, the remainder small, membranous, lacerate. Flowers about 110 in. long. Perianth-segments equal, lanceolate, acute, reddish-brown, with very narrow hyaline margins. Stamens 6, rather more than half as long as the perianth-segments. Capsule elllptic-trigonous, almost equalling the perianth, acute, shining, red-brown, paler at the base.
Var. triandra.—Size and habit of the type, but leaves rather narrower, often curved, and usually canaliculate. Heads 6–12-flowered. Stamens 3.—L. triandra, Buchen. '.c.
Var. crenulata.—Very densely pulvinate. Leaves very narrow, subulate, canaliculate. Inflorescence 2–6-flowered. Perianth-segments crenulate at the tips. Stamens 6. Capsule obovoid, trigonous, obtuse.—L. crenulata, Buchen. l.c.
South Island: Otago—Mount Cardrona, Petrie! Vars. triandra and crenulata: Rock and Pillar Range, Petrie! 4000–6000 ft. December–February.
