Common shrub within the ultramafic belt of the North Cape Peninsula BUT not endemic to it either (the same unnamed race occurs widely in Te Paki as far south as Mt Camel, Te Aupouri). An unnamed race of P. lessonii distinguish from P. lessonii s.s. by the usually trifoliolate smaller leaves, and sub scandent growth habit. Within the serpentinite zone this race often forms nearly pure stands up to 5 metres tall but on the fire-damaged plateau it is less common, and there mostly grows with kahikatoa (Leptospermum scoparium agg.), Cassinia amoena, Morelotia affinis, Pomaderris spp., Hebe brevifolia, H. aff. ligustrifolia, rawiri (Kunzea linearis), Lepidosperma neozelandicum, Astelia banksii, Geniostoma hybrids and is often heavily festooned in Cassytha paniculata. Flowering heavily at time of observation.