Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Hunter's Hills at c. 450 m. Type: BD 72751, H. H. Allan.

A very robust var. often forming large clumps by means of offset plants from branching rhizomes. Tomentum as in var. spectabilis. Lamina up to ± 35 cm. long, upper surface rather pale green. Sheaths and scapes clad in cop. long white shining hairs. Achenes ± 7 × 1 mm., cylindric-fusiform, glab.

DIST.: S. Tussock-grassland on slopes of outer ranges of South Canterbury, often accompanying Danthonia flavescens.

Similar but smaller forms occur on the Tararua Range and the var. needs further study. Plants in my garden kept their distinctive characters for several years before dying.

Martin (T.R.S.N.Z. 65. 1935, 183) describes his var. albo-marginata : "Differt typo sub-lanceolatis vel oblongis foliis latioribus acutioribusque. Folia nova supra dense tomentosa aureis vel argenteis lanatis pilis; in aetate supra tenui pellicula argentei tomenti vestita; vitta angustata conspicui lanati tomenti circumdata et terminata. South Island: Type locality - Mount Patriarch (Wairau Mountains) . . . This variety ranges over the St. Arnaud Mountains and the southern end of the Wairau Mountains, also occurring on the Raglan Range."

The type (BD 76002) is a barren tuft. Lamina of young lvs densely clad above and below in appressed silky white to pale buff long hairs. Lamina of fully grown lvs ± 11 × 1·5 cm., narrow-oblong, apex obtuse; upper surface with remains of tomentum to almost glab.; lower surface remaining tomentose, midrib us. evident above and below. Margins, except in oldest lvs, very densely fringed with long felted hairs obscuring the recurved portion.

Similar forms, but with the upper surface nearly glab. from the beginning, occur sporadically on the mountains flanking the Upper Awatere and Upper Clarence rivers, and apparently rarely in Northwest Nelson. The populations I have seen strongly suggest that the plants are of origin C. spectabilis × traversii. A plant in my garden produced achenes, but no germination was obtained.

C. robusta Buchan. in T.N.Z.I. 19, 1887, 215, t. 8. The description is: "A small robust branching species, 4-6 inches high. Leaves 1-11/2 inch long, 1/2 in. broad, coriaceous, ovate-oblong, acuminate or rounded at the tip, and broadly sheathing at the base, finely toothed, greenish-white above and covered with closely appressed white tomentum beneath. Scape 4-5 inches long, with 6-10 linear bracts. Head 1 inch diameter; involucral scales numerous, subulate, tapering, often recurved. Pappus orange colour, 1/4 inch long, achene pubescent. The affinity of this hardy mountain plant is with C. hectori, but the large obovate olive-green leaves of this plant necessitate the formation of a new species." No locality is given and no type indicated. Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 284) places the name as a synonym of C. incana; Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 304) does the same, but makes no reference in the 1925 edition.

C. ruahinensis Col. in T.N.Z.I. 27, 1895, 388. Colenso described his sp. from specimens collected by Olsen on "Ruahine mountain-range, east side, County of Waipawa". He observes: "A species near to C. spectabilis, Hook. f., from same mountain-range at higher altitude, differing, however, in several characters: in leaves, smaller margins entire, wool beneath semi-appressed and of a lighter colour, midrib not prominent, petioles thin, purple, not hairy; in ray-florets, ligula linear-spathulate, tips entire, tube glabrous and not thickened below; in longer exserted styles (both ray and disk), and in slender narrow-oblong obtuse, not deltoid, stigmas, which are very sparingly muricate." The lvs are given as "21/2 to 3 in. long, 3/4 in. broad . . . glabrous green and obsoletely ribbed above (young leaves having a fine filmy-white scurfy indumentum), thickly coated below with sub-appressed light-yellowish-white wool . . . Achene linear, terete, 2 lines long, quite glabrous." At K there are 3 lvs and 2 scapes.