Flora of New Zealand Series

Perennial with much-branched stems terminating in leafy rosettes and usually forming mats, 1-7 cm tall. Lvs mostly in basal rosettes; basal lvs cuneate to short petiole, densely white-tomentose on both surfaces including mid-vein but usually excluding petiole on upper, plane, elliptic to broad-elliptic or spathulate, usually obtuse, sometimes acute, mucronate, (3)-6-12-(20) × (2)-3-6 mm; cauline lvs 1-few, apetiolate, reduced upwards and becoming ovate-triangular to linear, amplexicaul and finally scalelike. Capitula c. 2-4 mm diam., usually solitary, very rarely 2 together; subtending lvs < capitula; scape terminal, simple, erect, amongst lvs at flowering, usually elongating somewhat at fruiting. Involucral bracts elliptic-oblong, obtuse to subacute, 4.5-6 mm long; stereome green or tinged reddish purple at apex; lamina pale brown, with darker band at base; gap and margins clear or tinged reddish purple. Achenes glabrous, c. 1.2 mm long.

N.: Ruahine and Tararua Ranges; S.; St.: Mt Anglem.

Endemic.

Montane to alpine bogs, herbfield and grassland, often in wet sites and commoner in wetter areas.

This sp. was included by Allan (1961) in the notes following G. traversii as var. mackayi (Buchanan) Kirk, but is readily distinguished from that sp. by the mat-forming habit, terminal capitula and glabrous achenes.