Procumbent or decumbent perennial, us. much-branched, forming small patches up to c. 20 cm. diam. Lvs sessile, 4-9 × 1-3 mm., ovate-to obovate-oblong, ± glaucous; margins flat. Fls solitary or in few-fld cymes. Sepals oblong to ovate, obtuse to subacute, c. 2 mm. long; petals hardly > 2.5 mm. long. Capsule broad-ovoid, ± 2 mm. long; stamens free or nearly so.

n = 8

2n = 16

2n = 16

Very delicate, mat-forming plants with minute lvs 1-3 × 0.5-1 mm occur in some localities, and are currently placed with this sp. This may be the plant described as early last century from Australasia and regarded as a synonym of [ seeRobson, N. K. B., Blumea 20: 268 (1972)]. Robson considered that there are 2 "variants" of present in N.Z. but did not state to which the name applies; one variant usually has irregular stem branching, or if the stems are sympodial then they are erect to decumbent, the other usually has sympodial branching and ± prostrate stems. The latter is also indigenous to New Guinea and Tasmania, whereas the first variant occupies the range of the sp.