South Island: Nelson—Buller Valley, T.F.C; Mount Rochfort and vicinity of Westport, Townson! Westland—Hokitika, Kirk! Kelly's Hill, Cockayne! Otago—Dusky Sound, Forster; Port Preservation, Lyall; Clinton Valley, Petrie. Stewart Island: Port Pegasus, Petrie! Pearson! Sea-level to 2500 ft. December–February.
A very distinct species, remarkable for the large purplish-black spikelets and long empty glumes, which are only 2 in number. There is an unnamed specimen, presumably from the North Island, in Mr. Colenso's herbarium.
7. G. lacera, Steud. Gyp. 164.—Stems rather slender, leafy, densely tufted, 2–4 ft. high. Leaves equalling or exceeding the stems, flat or involute, ⅓–½ in. broad, narrowed into long filiform points, margins scabrid. Panicle elongated, narrow but rather dense, 9–18 in. long; branches short, erect or inclined; bracts long and leafy. Spikelets alternate on the branches of the panicle, shortly pedicelled, brown, 1-flowered. Glumes 4–5; 2 or 3 outer empty, subequal. ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate or awned, rather membranous, minutely scaberulous on the back; 2 inner shorter, concave, obtuse, margins scarious and lacerate. Stamens 4; filaments greatly elongate in fruit. Style-branches 3. Nut small, ⅙ in. long, oblong-obovoid, obtuse, shining, black, very obscurely transversely striate within.—Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 306. Lampocarya lacera, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 109; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 281; Raoul, Choix, 40; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 277.
North Island: From the North Cape to Cook Strait, not uncommon. Sea-level to 2000 ft. July–August.
This is quoted from the South Island in the Handbook, but I have seen no specimens from thence.
8. G. Gaudichaudii, Steud. Gyp. 164.—Stems short, densely tufted, obtusely trigonous, leafy, 6–18 in. high. Leaves very numerous, spreading, much exceeding the stems, narrow, rigid, scabrid, sheaths short, submembranous. Panicle narrow, contracted, rigid, leafy, 3–9 in. long; branches few, short, erect; bracts very long and leafy. Spikelets clustered on the branches, ellipticlanceolate, turgid, acute, chestnut-brown, 1-flowered. Glumes 6, firm and coriaceous, minutely puberulous, ciliolate on the margins; 4 outer small, gradually increasing in size, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, awned; 2 inner much longer, rigid in fruit, acuminate. Stamens usually 3; filaments scarcely lengthening after flowering. Style-branches 3. Nut small, ovoid, obscurely trigonous, minutely apiculate, smooth, black, not transversely grooved within.—Hillebr. Fl. Hawaii, 481. G. affinis, Steud. Gyp. 164. G. arenaria, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 306. Lampocarya affinis, Brong. in Duperr. Voy. Coq. Bot. 166, t. 29; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 277. Morelotia gahniæformis, Gaud. in Freyc. Voy. Bot. 416, t. 28; A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 115; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 285; Raoul, Choix, 40.
