Flora of New Zealand Series

Erect, short-lived perennial herb. Lvs sparsely to moderately hairy, especially on lower surface, often densely hairy when not fully expanded, becoming less hairy, cuneately narrowed to stem and amplexicaul, elliptic to ovate, usually pinnately lobed to pinnatisect with usually broad, pinnately lobed or toothed segments, rarely only crenate, 3-14 × (1)-2-8 cm. Uppermost lvs smaller, often less divided with short, cuneate base and broad, amplexicaul lobes. Supplementary bracts (9)-12-25, 1.5-4 mm long. Involucral bracts (13)-18-21, glabrous, 6-11 mm long. Ray florets 13-23; ligules yellow, (3)-4.5-9-(10) mm long. Disc yellow 10-20 mm diam. Achenes ± evenly, densely hairy, slightly narrowed to apex, 2.5-3 mm long.

N.; S.: known only from the type locality (Hawke's Bay), Brothers Is and Stephens Id (Cook Strait), and Punakaiki (near Greymouth).

Endemic.

Seabird nesting grounds, coastal habitats.

FL Aug-May.

S. sterquilinus is distinguished from the closely related S. lautus by its larger size and more numerous bracts and rays - these differences are maintained in cultivation and so do not reflect differences in the nutrient status of their habitats. Plants from Punakaiki, included by Ornduff within his concept of S. lautus subsp. carnosulus (treated here as S. carnosulus), more closely match S. sterquilinus in involucral bract and ray number, as well as chromosome number (2 n = 40). The rays of the plants are somewhat shorter than in S. sterquilinus indicating a relationship with S. lautus var. lautus which also occurs at Punakaiki. At present these intermediate Punakaiki plants are best referred to S. sterquilinus.