Flora of New Zealand Series

Perennial; rosettes tufted; rhizome 0. Basal lvs long-petiolate, deeply 3-fid to ternate, densely covered in subappressed hairs on lamina and petiole; leaflets stalked, obovate, shallowly to deeply 3-lobed, toothed, 7-15 × 10-18 mm. Cauline lvs 1-3, small, sessile or shortly petiolate, lanceolate-entire or obovate-trifid. Fls 18-25 mm diam., solitary or 2-3 per stem; pedicels with appressed hairs. Sepals spreading, hispid. Petals 5, yellow, obovate; nectary single, c. 1 mm from petal base, covered by a small narrow-oblong scale. Receptacle hairy. Achenes 15-30 in globose heads, flattened, glabrous or with 1-(2) bristles; body 2.5-3 × 2-2.5 mm; beak curved with hooked tip, 1-1.5 mm long.

S.: Nelson (Peel Range, Arthur Range, S. to Wangapeka R.).

Endemic.

Alpine herbfield and grassland, mostly on limestone and marble, 1200-1500 m.

R. mirus differs from R. reflexus by its appressed stem and lf hairs, ternate to ternatifid lvs, spreading sepals, fewer, larger, darker achenes sometimes with 1-2 bristles, and 1-1.5 mm long achene beak. It differs from R. foliosus by its appressed hairs and long-beaked achenes.