Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Caryophyllales Juss. ex Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Caryophyllaceae
Genus
Colobanthus Bartl.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Colobanthus muelleri Kirk, Trans. New Zealand Inst. 27: 356 (1895)
Synonymy:
  • = Colobanthus billardierei var. brachypoda F.Muell., Veg. Chatham Isl. 11 (1864)
 Description

Plant of distinct flat rosettes, us. few, each c. 1–2 cm. across. Branches us. few and very short, forming woody crown. Lvs green, firm, recurved; sheath broad, abruptly narrowed to blade; blade 10–15 × 1–1·5 mm. channelled above when dry, abruptly contracted into colourless apicula longer than width of adjacent part of If; peduncles < lvs but often standing erect from amongst them. Fls rather narrow at base; sepals 5, c. 4 mm. long, margin membr. and often inturned above, narrowed abruptly into definite apicula or short acicular tip; capsule 5-valved, often barely ⅔ length of sepals when mature.

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Phenology

Flowering: Sep.–Apr.; Fruiting: Nov.–Apr.

 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Kirk, T. 1895: A Revision of the New Zealand Species of Colobanthus, Bartling. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 27: 354–359.
Mueller, F.J.H. 1864: The vegetation of the Chatham Islands. Government Printer, Melbourne.