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Australis Group.
The group is a local development with no parallel in the other areas where the genus occurs. It consists of 8 jordanons, all of which have been known to hybridise. In some isolated areas, particularly in Stewart Island for instance, the hybrid population far exceeds the numbers of true species. Another polymorphous area is the Waimakariri River basin. It has been suggested that the group arose from the ancestral foliata stock, spreading north and east, differentiating largely by epharmony until it is at present abundant in one form or another throughout New Zealand and the Chathams, extending from sea-level to the upper limits of the subalpine scrub. All the forms (with the occasional exception of Pt. graminea, a highly specialised form) have distinct rosulate juveniles, which recapitulation is but further proof that the group originated as an offshoot of a strictly rosulate form. All the members of this group occasionally occur in a very depauperated condition, the leaves being much reduced and the plant practically all flower.
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6. Pterostylis australis Hook. f., Fl. Nov. Zel., 1, 1853, 248.
Pt. banksii var. B. Hook. f., Handbk. N.Z. Fl., 1864, 268.
Up to 20 cm. high. Leaves 1–6, narrow- to broad-linear, acuminate, up to 10cm. long by 2 cm. broad. Floral bract foliaceous. Flower up to 3 cm. high, rather narrow. Dorsal sepal shortly caudate, longer than the petals, the tip horizontal or suberect. Lateral sepals shortly caudate, hardly exceeding the galea. Labellum linear-oblong, pale red, the tip unevenly constricted. Column typical, stigma elliptical. Column-wings with acuminate upper lobes as high as the anther. Lower lobes rounded, narrow-oblong.
Distribution. Endemic—5, not uncommon in Nothofagus forests about the base of Mount Ruapehu, 12, 1944, E. D. Hatch; 7, occasional throughout the Tararua and Ruahine Ranges; 12, 15, abundant in montane and subalpine areas; 16, not uncommon throughout Stewart Island, 11, 1946, C. Smith; also abundant in the Chatham Islands.
Flowers December–January, sea-level–4,500 ft., scattered on the forest floor, in tussock or in scrub.
7. Pterostylis montana Hatch spec. nov.
Pt. australis affinis, subsimilis. Circiter 15 cm. alta. Folia 1–5, patula, linearo-lanceolata, acuminata, saepe repanda. Flos brevis. Sepalum dorsale acuminatum, apex horizontals. Sepala lateralia acuminata, lobae breves. Labellum viride, recurvum, apex impariter constringit. Columna Pt. australis similis, superioribus lobis acuminatis, inferioribus lobis angusto-oblongis incurvis.
A compound species of 2 jordanons. Cheeseman included them in Pt. graminea, but they differ from Hooker's species in having constricted labella and spreading leaves (characters which incidentally they share with Pt. australis), whereas graminea sens. strict. has a symmetrical labellum and erect leaves.
(a) Pt. montana var. typica Hatch.
Pt. graminea Cheesmn. in part (not of Hook. f.).
Up to 15 cm. high. Leaves 1–5, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, often repand, up to 4 cm. long by 4 mm. broad. Floral bract foliaceous.
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Flower solitary, up to 3 cm. high. Dorsal sepal acuminate, longer than the petals, the tip horizontal. Lateral sepals acuminate, the lobes shortly exceeding the galea. Labellum green, recurved, the tip unevenly constricted. Column typical, stigma prominent, elliptical. Column-wings with acuminate upper lobes as high as the anther. Lower lobes incurved, narrow-oblong. With maturity the lateral sepals tend to fall away from the galea.
Distribution. Endemic—5, not uncommon about the Nothofagus forests on Mount Ruapehu, Matthews, Hatch; 15, Lake Manapouri, 1, 1946, Geo. Simpson; 16, abundant throughout Stewart Island, 12, 1946, C. Smith.
Flowers November–January, sea-level–4,500 ft., scattered on the forest floor, common. Probably derived from Pt. australis. Almost certainly confused with graminea sens. strict., and probably abundant in most subalpine areas in the North and South Islands, but has so far only been definitely recorded from the localities given above. Holotype in Herb. Hatch, No. 564, Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island, 11, 1946, C. Smith. The accompanying illustration can be regarded as the hypotype of the species.
(b) Pt. montana var. rubricaulis (Matth.) Hatch comb. nov.
Pt. graminea var. rubricaulis Matth. ex Cheesmn., Man. N.Z. Fl., 1925, 351.
Up to 15 cm. high. Leaves 1–4, distant, spreading, linearlanceolate, acuminate, up to 6 cm. long by 8 mm. broad. Floral bract foliaceous. Flower solitary or rarely 2, up to 3 cm. high. Dorsal sepal acuminate, longer than the petals, the tip suberect. Lateral filiformcaudate, spreading, the lobes much exceeding the galea. Labellum recurved, brownish, the tip unevenly constricted. Appendage short, stout, much divided. Column typical, stigma linear-lanceolate, rather broader than the column and slightly swollen at its lower end. Columnwings with the upper lobes subulate, suberect, as high as or shorter than the anther. Lower lobes oblong, twisted, the inner margins finely pubescent. Anther rather short.
Distribution. Endemic—3a, abundant throughout the Waitakere Ranges and on the east coast as far north as the Whangaparoa Peninsula; 3b, occasional throughout the Hunua Ranges.
Flowers July–September, sea-level–1,000 ft., scattered on the forest floor. Probably derived from montana typica. The accompanying illustration can be regarded as the hypotype of the variety.
8. Pterostylis oliveri Petr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 26, 1894, 270.
Up to 30 cm. high. Leaves 1–6, up to 10 cm. long by 4 cm. broad, glaucous, oblong-ovate to -lanceolate, acute, conspicuously reticulated. Floral bract foliaceous, acuminate. Flower solitary or rarely 2, up to 6 cm. high. Dorsal sepal strongly incurved, the tip of the very long cauda frequently reaching the ovary. Lateral sepals with a shallow sinus, the caudae very long, erect or recurved. Petals narrow-falcate, the acuminate tips incurved. Labellum rather long, membraneous, recurved abruptly at the tip. Column typical, stigma linear-lanceolate. Column-wings with the upper lobes acuminate, slightly higher than the anther. Lower lobes incurved, narrow and very long, often descending below the stigma. The leaves vary from rosulate to cauline in developing to maturity. The juvenile is a lax rosette of 2–4 elliptical leaves on rather long slender petioles.
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Distribution. Endemic–11, common about the headwaters of the Otira and Waimakariri River, particularly so in the Arthur's Pass area; 12a, Bealey River, T. Kirk.
Flowers December–January, 1,000–4,000 ft., scattered in scrub and along forest margins. Something of an intermediate form between Pt. banksii and the foliata group.
Holotype in the Dominion Museum, Wellington, Kelly's Creek, Otira River, 1,100 ft., 1, 1892, D. Petrie.
9. Pterostylis areolata Petr., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 50, 1918, 210.
Up to 18 cm. high. Leaves 1–4, up to 5 cm. long by 1 cm. broad, oblong- to elliptic-lanceolate, acute, conspicuously reticulated. Floral bract foliaceous, elliptic, acute. Flower proportionately large, green with reddish striae, up to 4 cm. high. Dorsal sepal acuminate, a little longer than the petals. Lateral sepals with a narrow sinus, the lobes shorter than the galea. Labellum narrow-linear, flat or recurved. Column as in Pt. oliveri, but the lower lobes of the column-wings rather shorter. The leaves go through similar developmental stages as do those of Pt. oliveri.
Distribution. Endemic—9, Awatere Valley, L. Cockayne; 12a, Waimakariri Valley, T. Kirk.
Flowers December–January, 2,500–3,000 ft. Probably derived from Pt. oliveri, but fresh material is needed before its exact relationships can be ascertained. In the absence of living material, the accompanying illustration has been copied exactly from the Holotype.
Holotype in the Dominion Museum, Wellington. Base of Shingle Peak, Awatere Valley, L. Cockayne.
10. Pterostylis banksii R. Br., ex A. Cunn., Bot. Mag., 1832, t, 3172.
A compound species of at least 2 jordanons. Pt. auriculata Col., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 22, 1890, 489, may eventually prove to be a variety of Pt. banksii. Until more data are available from the Invercargill area it is best included in the typical form.
(a) Pt. banskii var. typica Hatch.
Pt. emarginata Col., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 15, 1883, 328.
Pt. speciosa Col., ibid., 22, 1890, 488.
Pt. subsimilis Col., ibid., 28, 1896, 611.
Up to 50 cm. high. Leaves 1–8, strictly cauline, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, erect, up to 20 cm. long by 8 mm. broad. Floral bract foliaceous. Flower solitary or rarely 2, up to 8 cm. high. Dorsal sepal longer than the petals, filiform-caudate, the tip horizontal or suberect. Lateral sepals filiform-caudate, spreading, much exceeding the galea. Labellum linear-oblong, recurved, subacute or emarginate. Column typical, stigma linear-lanceolate. Column-wings with subulate upper lobes higher than the anther. Lower lobes broadly oblong, twisted, finely ciliate.
Distribution. Endemic—abundant throughout lowland areas in the North and South Islands. The Chatham Islands form appears to be quite distinct and may eventually warrant varietal rank.
Flowers October–November, sea-level–2,000 ft., scattered in scrub or on the forest floor.
Francis Bauer's illustration in Curtis's Botanical Magazine, 1832, t, 3172, can be regarded as the hypotype of the species.
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(b) Pt. banksii var. patens (Col.) Hatch, Trans. R.S.N.Z., 75, 1945, 370.
Pt. patens Col., Trans. N.Z. Inst., 18, 1886, 270.
Similar to the type in general characteristics. Leaves shorter, broader and more spreading. Dorsal cauda strongly incurved. Lateral caudae recurved abruptly, the tips often meeting behind and below the ovary. The caudae naturally pass through the horizontal and suberect stages in developing from the bud, and transitional forms may often be found bearing a superficial resemblance to the typical form.
Distribution. Endemic—5, abundant in tussock and along forest margins about the central volcanoes, 12, 1944, E. D. Hatch; 7, high country throughout the Kaimanawa and Ruahine Ranges, 12, 1945, E. D. Hatch; 11, abundant in the vicinity of Arthur's Pass, 1, 1930, J. Brownlee; 16, abundant throughout Stewart Island, 12, 1946, C. Smith. Will probably prove to be quite common throughout the South Island high country.
Flowers December–January, 2,000–5,000 ft., scattered in grass and scrub and along forest margins. Probably derived from Pt. banksii typica.
11. Pterostylis graminea Hook. f., Fl. Nov. Zel., 1, 1853, 248.
Up to 25 cm. high. Leaves 1–7, very long, slender, linearacuminate, up to 12 cm. long by 6 mm. broad. Floral bract foliaceous. Flower solitary or rarely 2, up to 2 cm. high. Dorsal sepal acuminate, longer than the petals, the tip incurved or horizontal. Lateral sepals shortly caudate, hardly exceeding the galea. Labellum linear-oblong, obtuse, entire, recurved at the tip. Column strongly inclined, stigma elliptical. Column-wings with acuminate upper lobes as high as the anther. Lower lobes oblong, rounded.
Distribution. Endemic—not uncommon in lowland areas throughout the North and South Islands.
Flowers September–November, sea-level–1,500 ft., scattered in scrub or on the forest floor. Probably derived from a very early form of Pt. banksii.