Sanguisorba minor Scop.

Herb with branching rhizomes; stems ± erect, up to 35–(70) cm tall at flowering, glabrous to sparingly pilose, sparingly branched, greenish yellow to purplish, grooved. Lower lvs in basal rosettes; petiole short; blade oblong to narrowly oblanceolate, up to 150–(300) × 45 mm, imparipinnate; leaflets in (5)–7–10–(12) pairs, shortly petiolulate or subsessile, narrowly obovate to elliptic or orbicular, 5–12–(30) mm long, glabrous above, sparsely finely puberulent and often with a few longer hairs on veins beneath, deeply serrate, sometimes purplish especially towards margins or pale to ± glaucous below. Cauline lvs few, similar to basal lvs but with fewer and narrower leaflets. Infl. a dense globose head, elongating somewhat at fruiting. Sepals ovate-oblong, (2)–3–4 mm long, free, ± emarginate with a small cusp, green; margins whitish or pink to purple. Stamens numerous. Hypanthium usually broadly ellipsoid, rarely ellipsoid at fruiting, glabrous, almost glabrous or pubescent, (2)–4–5 mm long, usually sharply angled and winged, rarely obscurely winged; faces usually reticulate and the ridges with small projections, rarely faintly reticulate.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Oct.–Apr.; Fruiting: Nov.–May.