Flora of New Zealand Series

coreopsis

Erect, clump-forming perennial, up to c. 1 m tall. Stems glabrous or with a few scattered hairs, not branched or sparingly branched to form infl. Basal and lower cauline lvs present at flowering, opposite, long-petiolate, almost glabrous and ciliate to moderately hairy, mostly simple and entire, sometimes with 2 smaller basal lobes, rarely some lvs 1-pinnate with 2 pairs of broad leaflets, elliptic to oblanceolate, 5-15-(30) × 1-2-(5) cm; upper cauline lvs 0 or few, becoming smaller, apetiolate, and narrower. Capitula 5-7.5 cm diam., solitary or in loose cymes, long-pedunculate. Outer involucral bracts green, usually ciliate near apex, narrow- to ovate-triangular, 8-15 mm long, > 1/2 to ± = inner bracts; inner bracts with dark lined centre and membranous margins, glabrous, ovate-triangular. Receptacular scales narrow-oblong with long linear apex. Ray florets usually 7-8; ligules yellow to golden yellow. Disc florets numerous; corolla golden, 5-toothed. Achenes ± orbicular, black, with few scattered hairs on inner surface, 2.5-3.5 mm long; wings broad, pale brown, entire; awns 2, 0.5 mm long, with antrorse hairs.

N.: Houhora and Panguru (Northland), Auckland City, vicinity of Hamilton; S.: Kaiteriteri (Nelson), near Waipara (N. Canterbury).

C. and S.W. U.S.A. 1984

Waste places and sandy areas in and around cemeteries, roadsides.

FL Nov-Mar.

Coreopsis is occasionally cultivated in gardens and cemeteries from where it has now escaped into, and established in, adjacent areas. Double forms with up to 20 ligules are cultivated but have not yet been collected wild. As in most Coreopsis spp. the achenes are compressed and broadly winged (Fig. 22). The plants are often mistakenly referred to the closely related C. grandiflora, which is distinguished by having lvs almost to the stem apex and the upper lvs 1-pinnate or pinnatisect with narrower segments.

Fig. 22. Achenes of Heliantheae. A Coreopsis lanceolata; B Cosmos bipinnatus. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X4E]