Astelia psychrocharis F.Muell.

Mat-forming herb with an indumentum of silvery white scales throughout. Leaves acuminate, 8-20 cm long, 1.5-4 cm wide, silvery grey-green on both surfaces. Panicle compact, few-flowered, ±hidden among leaves; scape 2-4 cm long; spathes 3-5, short, broad, foliaceous; racemes 0.3-1.8 cm long, 2-5-flowered; pedicels thick, 2-10 mm long. Perianth reddish; tube fleshy, 1.5-3.5 mm long; lobes 3.5-6.5 mm long. Male flowers: perianth lobes erect or spreading; stamens 2.5-4 mm long; anthers 1.3-3 mm long. Female flowers: perianth lobes erect; staminodes c. 2 mm long; ovules few, pendulous. Berry obovoid, trisulcate, 9-18 mm long, orange-yellow. Seeds 2-12, subangular, c. 2 mm long.

Occurs in bogs and wet sites in herbfields, in alpine and subalpine areas.