Sedum spurium M.Bieb.

Almost glabrous, ± prostrate, mat-forming, perennial herb, with stems rooting freely at nodes. Lvs opposite, with short petiole 2–4 mm long, spaced but imbricate along stems and also forming a terminal rosette; lamina to 2.3 × 2.2 cm and c. 1 mm thick, obcuneate to broadly obovate, somewhat concave above and convex beneath, green, glabrous but often ± papillate; distal part of margin shallowly crenate, otherwise entire; apex rounded. Infl. terminal on an erect, puberulent rachis to c. 3 cm high at flowering, afterwards elongating to c. 12 cm; cyme 3–5 cm across, corymbose, with 2–4 branches, each branch with a few fls; bracts leaflike at base, smaller higher up infl. Fls fairly numerous, on very short broad pedicels, secund. Sepals equal, 4–5.5 mm long, narrowly triangular or triangular-lanceolate. Petals 5, almost patent, 9–13 × 1.5–2 mm, ± lanceolate, pale pink or white with pink outside, becoming rose, acute. Stamens 6–8.5 mm long, whitish to pink, darkening with age. Carpels and styles white, becoming rose or crimson after anthesis. Scales semi-lunate or almost cup-shaped, sometimes retuse. Follicles crimson, slightly divergent. Seed c. 1 mm long, obovoid, with prominent longitudinal ribs.

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

Flowering: Dec.–Mar.