Perennial herb; taproot cylindrical tapering irregularly below, often divided, to c. 2 cm diam., flesh red-brown outside, bright yellow inside; caulorrhiza short, bearing spirally-arranged basal leaves and long axillary flowering stems. Pubescent on all parts, the longer hairs mostly curved or bent near base. Basal leaves with paired narrow triangular stipules; petiole terete, to c. 30 cm long, pubescent esp. distally, hairs mostly < 0.6 mm long, appressed to ascending. Lamina + orbicular, to c. 9 cm diam.; lobes us. 5 or 7 per leaf, obovate; larger lobes us. with (5-)9 teeth; median and larger lateral teeth oblong-obovate, c. 1:1 length:breadth, obtuse, mucronate. Lamina sparsely pubescent above, marginally and below. Flowering stems glabrescent with age, hairs as petioles. Cauline leaves opposite, as basal leaves but smaller, with fewer lobes. Flowers twinned. Sepals 5, enlarging in fruit then the outer sepals ovate-elliptic, 3-3.5 mm long × 2.5 mm wide not including an awn 0.8-1 mm long, inner sepals elliptic-obovate, narrower with a hyaline margin 0.3 mm wide near apex; sepal hairs short + appressed. Petals 5, pale pink, obovate, c. 4.5 mm long × 3 mm wide. Stamens 10, to c. 2.5 mm long; pollen very pale yellow. In fruit mericarps dark brown smooth, pubescent; rostrum to 12 mm long (incl. stigmata). Seed oblong, c. 2 mm long × 1.2 mm diam., red-brown; dorsal alveolae shallow, mostly rectangular c. 0.15 × 0.1 mm.

Perennial herb; taproot napiform, to c. 3 cm diam., flesh pale yellow; caulorrhiza short, bearing spirally- arranged basal leaves and axillary flowering stems. Pubescent on all parts, the longer hairs mostly bent near the base or curved. Basal leaves with paired narrow triangular stipules; petiole terete, to c. 25 cm long, pubescent esp. distally, the longer hairs us. < 0.4 mm long, retrorse, appressed (occ. ascending under shade conditions). Lamina ± orbicular, to c. 5 cm diam.; lobes us. 5 or 7 per leaf, obovate; larger lobes us. with 7 or 9 teeth; median and larger lateral tooth oblong, occ. obovate to clavate, variable in length: breadth between individuals from c. 1.5:1 to 2.5:1, obtuse to subacute, mucronate. Lamina inconspicuously but uniformly pubescent above, marginally and below. Flowering stems glabrescent with age, hairs as petioles. Cauline leaves opposite, as basal leaves but smaller, with fewer lobes. Flowers twinned (occ. single if early or late in season ?). Sepals 5, enlarging in fruit then ovate c. 5 mm long × 3 mm wide not including an awn 0.4-1 mm long; sepal hairs mostly short, appressed, longer spreading hairs on outer margins. Petals 5, white to pink, obovate c. 6 mm long × 4 mm wide. Stamens 10, to 3 mm long, pollen yellow. In fruit mericarps dark brown, smooth, pubescent; rostrum to 14 mm long (incl. stigmata). Seed oblong, c. 2 mm long × 1.4 mm wide, dark brown to almost black; dorsal alveolae deeper than those of G. homeanum, us. 4-6 sided + isodiametric c. 0.1 mm diam.

Most specimens of New Zealand G. solanderi belong to one or other of two forms. One form matches exactly the type (Forster, "Habitat in New Zealand" K!) and on account of its showy flowers is nicknamed here G. solanderi "large petals". The second form, with smaller paler flowers and densely hairy leaves has a very different appearance and is nicknamed here G. solanderi "coarse hairs". It will be seen from the following descriptions (which are based entirely on New Zealand material) that these two forms differ in a good many other characters. The reason for not giving them varietal or subspecifid rank is, briefly, that their distinctness is lost in Australia — see further below. The word "form" is used only for convenience, without implication of taxonomic rank. G. solanderi "large petals" Perennial herb; taproot napiform, to c. 2.5 cm diam., flesh pale yellow; caulorrhiza short, thick, bearing spirally-arranged basal leaves and long axillary procumbent to weakly ascending flowering stems. Pubescent on most parts; the longer hairs pointed, straight to slightly curved, seldom with a prominent raised base; glandular hairs short-stalked, inconspicuous (often absent ?). Basal leaves with paired narrow triangular stipules; petiole terete, sometimes pink distally, to c. 30 cm long × 0.2 cm diam., pubescent esp. distally, the long hairs fine, ± straight, us. 1-1.5 mm long, patent, shorter straight and crisped retrorse hairs also present. Lamina ± orbicular in outline, to c. 7 cm diam., occ. pink on margins and abaxial veins; lobes deep, us. (5) or 7 per leaf, obovate; larger lobes with (3- ) 5(-9) teeth; median and larger lateral teeth ± oblong, c. 2:1 length:breadth, us. obtuse, mucronate. Lamina us. glabrous above except for curved antrorse hairs c. 1 mm long in an c. 1 mm wide band along the margin, rarely sparsely pubescent; similar hairs on abaxial surface above the larger veins. Flowering stems glabrescent with age, hairs as on petioles. Cauline leaves opposite, as basal leaves but smaller, us. 3 or 5 lobes per leaf; teeth us. 3 or 5 per lobe, obtuse to subacute. Flowers twinned (occ. single if early or late in season); peduncle and pedicel hairs as petioles. Sepals 5, enlarging in fruit then ovate, outer sepals c. 5.5 mm long × 3.5 mm wide not including an awn us. < 1 mm long, inner sepals slightly narrower. Sepals abaxially pubescent; hairs to c. 1.5 mm long, straight to slightly curved, antrorse and ascending, most prominent near outer margins of sepals, shorter hairs elsewhere, glandular hairs few and inconspicuous (often absent ?). Petals 5, us. rose-pink, obovate, weakly emarginate, c. 7.5 mm long × 4.5 mm wide; expanded corolla c. 12 mm diam. Stamens 10, to c. 4.5 mm long; dehiscence lines of anther purple, pollen yellow. In fruit mericarps dark brown, smooth, pubescent; rostrum to c. 15 mm long (incl. stigmata), pubescent, those hairs greater than 0.6 mm long mostly on proximal two-thirds of rostrum and seldom prominent at apex. Seed globular-oblong, c. 2 mm long × 1.6 mm diam., dark red-brown to almost black; dorsal alveolae deep, us. 5-6 sided isodiametric polygons c. 0.15 mm diam. G. solanderi "coarse hairs" Perennial herb; taproot cylindrical tapering distally, to c. 1.5 cm diam., flesh red-brown becoming paler internally; caulorrhiza short, thick, bearing spirally-arranged basal leaves and long axillary procumbent to weakly ascending flowering stems. Pubescent on all parts; the longer hairs pointed, curved, often with a prominent raised base; glandular hairs short-stalked, inconspicuous (often absent ?). Basal leaves with paired narrow triangular stipules; petiole terete, seldom pink distally, to c. 20 cm long × 1.5 mm diam.; densely pubescent esp. distally, the long hairs rather coarse, curved, us. 0.7-1.2 mm long, retrorse but never appressed, shorter straight and crisped retrorse hairs also present. Lamina ± orbicular in outline, to c. 6 cm diam., seldom pink on margins and abaxial veins; lobes moderately deep, us. 5 or 7 per leaf, obovate; larger lobes with (3-)5(-7) teeth; median and larger lateral teeth oblong to broad-triangular, c. 1.7:1 length:breadth, obtuse to subacute, mucronate. Lamina pubescent above, marginally and below, hairs curved, c. 1 mm long, antrorse, with raised bases making the lamina finely tuberculate. Flowering stems glabrescent with age, hairs as petioles. Cauline leaves opposite, as basal leaves but smaller, us. 3 or 5 lobes per leaf; teeth 3(-5) per lobe, subacute. Rowers twinned (occ. single if early or late in season); peduncle and pedicel hairs as petioles. Sepals 5, enlarging in fruit, then ovate, outer sepals c. 4.5 mm long × 2.75 mm wide not including an awn us. 1-1.2 mm long, inner sepals slightly narrower. Sepals abaxially pubescent, hairs to c. 1.2 mm long, curved, antrorse and ascending, most prominent near outer margins; shorter hairs elsewhere, glandular hairs few and inconspicuous (often absent ?). Petals 5, pale pink, obovate, weakly emarginate, c. 5 mm long × 3.5 mm wide; expanded corolla c. 8 mm diam. Stamens 10, to c. 3.5 mm long, dehiscence lines of anther purple, pollen, pale yellow. In fruit mericarps dark brown, smooth, pubescent; rostrum to c. 13 mm long (incl. stigmata), pubescent, those hairs greater than 0.6 mm occ. along full length of rostrum and us. plentiful at apex. Seed globular-oblong, c. 1.8 mm long × 1.3 mm diam., dark red-brown to almost black; dorsal alveolae deep, us. 4(-6) sided c. 0.2 mm long × 0.13 mm wide.