Achillea ptarmica L.
Scented, rhizomatous herb. Stems erect, up to c. 1 m tall, angled and hairy above, slightly ribbed and ± glabrous toward base, usually not branched except above to form infl. Basal lvs 0 at anthesis. Cauline lvs apetiolate, linear, glabrous, sometimes sparsely hairy when young, simple, finely and evenly serrate and serrations again with very fine cartilaginous teeth, up to 80 × 3-5 mm, becoming smaller and more lanceolate toward infl. Corymbs convex, to c. 10 cm across, with few to numerous, loosely-packed capitula. Involucral bracts sparsely hairy, 2-4 mm long; margin brown, hairy. Capitula c. 10-15 mm diam.; ray florets 8-numerous; ligule and disc florets white. Achenes grey-brown, c. 2 mm long; wings narrow, pale brown.
N.: known from one site only, garden weed in Taupo; S.: known from one site only, established for several chains along Mill Road, near Invercargill.
Europe to C. Russia 1958
FL Feb.
Naturalised plants include the double form which is often cultivated and known as bachelor's button or sneezewort and the wild form, commonly called sneezewort, which is also sometimes grown in N.Z.
