Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: "Hurunui Mountains, in moist valleys, alt. 3000 ft." Type: K, Travers, 1862. The type consists of 2 lvs and a scape with capitulum.

Rather large tufted herb with lf-sheaths densely imbricate around stem. Lamina subcoriac., ± 7·5-15-(30) × (2)-3-4 cm., elliptic- to narrow-oblong to lanceolate-oblong; upper surface bright green, ± pilose, midrib us. distinct; lower surface clad in appressed white satiny, often tinged brown, tomentum, midrib conspicuous, purple, lateral veins us. evident. Apex subacute, apiculate; margins entire or finely distantly denticulate, ± ciliate with white to pale brown hairs, narrowed to grooved, purplish, sparingly silky, flat, ± 3 cm. long, winged petiole. Sheath widening from petiole, thin, ribbed, c. 5 cm. long, ± pilose. Scape ± 15-20-(30) cm. long, ± villous, often purplish; bracts linear, ∞, lower up to c. 6 cm. long, ± villous. Capitula (3)-5-(7) cm. diam.; phyll. pilose to nearly glab., ± 15 mm. long. Ray-florets ± 2-3 cm. long, limb narrow-oblong, 3-toothed; disk-florets tubular, ± 5 mm. long, suddenly expanded to toothed apex. Anthers almost tailed. Achenes grooved, cylindric, 5-6 mm. long, us. glab. or nearly so. Pappus-hairs up to 8 mm. long, finely barbellate, white.

DIST.: S. Montane to subalpine grassland, herbfield, along the central and western mountains from c. lat. 42° southwards.