Flora of New Zealand Series

C. fulvida var. montana Ckn. Veg. N.Z. ed. 2, 1928, 305 (nomen nudum).

Type locality: Arthur Pass, Canterbury. Type: BD 9397, V. D. Zotov.

Branching rather compact; lvs up to 3 mm. wide, oblong- to obovate-spathulate; capitula c. 40 per corymb; phyll. pubescent, often red-tipped; achenes pubescent; pappus-hairs flattened and thickened at tips.

DIST.: S. Montane shrubland from lat. 42° 30' southwards, descending to lowland in southern part of range.

HYBRIDISM

The N.Z. members of the genus are still inadequately studied, especially with reference to the discrimination between true-breeding and hybrid forms. Carse (T.N.Z.I. 60, 1930, 574) describes his × C. amoenatorta (C. amoena × retorta) and remarks: "There appear to be three predominant forms: (a) Very near to C. amoena but with shorter leaves, 6-9 mm. long (10-17 mm. in C. amoena), tomentum of leaves and branchlets more yellow, heads rather broader; (b) similar, but smaller in leaves which are more yellow; (c) resembles C. retorta but with few florets in the heads. North Island: North Cape District on slope above Kerr Point, where C. amoena, C. retorta and intermediate forms are not uncommon. In the extreme north of Auckland Province the tomentum on the branchlets and leaves of C. retorta is much more yellow than that on more southern plants which is usually whitish." C. retorta also appears to cross with C. vauvilliersii, as does C. leptophylla. Within the vauvilliersii complex the vars pallida and albida often meet and produce a polymorphic progeny. Field evidence suggests that the forms with fulvous tomentum may hybridize with  var. pallida; more certain is the crossing of C. fulvida var. montana with C. vauvilliersii, the reputed hybrids showing varying degrees of glutinosity and of the number of white-tipped receptacular scales. The var. linearis Kirk Stud. Fl. 1899, 315 of C. fulvida, described from Dunedin specimens with white tomentum, may be of hybrid origin, but has not been critically studied.