Flora of New Zealand Series

Gnaphalium filicaule Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 153.

Type locality: "Dry hills, especially towards the east coast". Type: K, Colenso, N.Z.

Main stems prostrate, creeping and rooting, up to 3 dm. long (sts lianoid under shrubs), c. 1-2 mm. diam.; branches decumbent to erect, up to 25 cm. long, c. 1 mm. diam.; with sparse cottony tomentum to glab. Lvs oblong to obovate, up to 1·5 cm. × 5 mm., glab. above when mature, clad in dense soft cobwebby white tomentum below, abruptly mucronate at apex, subsessile with semiamplexicaul base. Scapes densely tomentose, filiform, up to 5 cm. long, with or without minute bracts. Capitula up to 1 cm. diam.; phyll. in 4-5 series; outer short, oblong, densely tomentose on back; inner linear-oblong, scarious, stramineous with brown tips, tomentose on midrib at back, ciliolate on margins. Receptacle 1-2 mm. diam., shallowly convex, alveolate; perfect florets ∞, ♀ few. Achenes compressed, filiform, seldom up to 1 mm. long, papillose-pubescent; pappus-hairs up to 5 mm. long, very slender.

DIST.: N., S., St., Ch. Lowland to lower subalpine grassland, open shrubland and open places from lat. 38° southwards.