Flora of New Zealand Series

ploughman's spikenard

Erect, shortly rhizomatous perennial up to c. 1 m tall. Stems densely hairy, branched above to form infl. Lower cauline lvs sparsely to moderately hairy on upper surface, tomentose on lower, elliptic, long-cuneate, acute, finely denticulate, up to c. 15 × 4 cm; upper lvs similar but smaller and short-cuneate or obtuse at base. Capitula 8-12 mm diam., many in corymbs. Outer involucral bracts sparsely hairy and ciliate, herbaceous at apex, subulate, 2-5 mm long; inner bracts sparsely hairy and ciliate, membranous, linear-lanceolate, 8-12 mm long. Ray florets numerous; ligules inconspicuous, yellow, c. 1 mm long. Disc yellow. Mature achenes not seen, sparsely hairy.

N.: known from one site only, Kirai Trig, c. 30 km from Stratford (Taranaki).

Europe to W. Asia, N. Africa 1988

Quite common in goat-grazed tall manuka scrub.

FL Jan-Feb.