Flora of New Zealand Series

O. virgata var. ß Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 128.

Type locality: Mount Flagstaff, Dunedin. Type: BD 75715, G. Simpson.

Shrub up to 2 m. tall with slender, spreading, pubescent, quadrangular branchlets; lvs fascicled, 5-8 × 1-2 mm., linear to narrow-obovate; glab. or nearly so and rugose above when mature, below clad in soft white tomentum, margins strongly revolute; capitula solitary or in fascicles of 2-4, on very short pubescent pedicels; phyll. pubescent; florets c. 10 per capitulum; achenes papillose-pubescent.

DIST.: S. Montane grassland and shrubland east of divide.

O. quinquefida Col. in T.N.Z.I. 28, 1896, 596 was based on specimens collected by GuthrieSmith in 1895 on "Hilly country near Lake Tutira". His description includes: "Leaves numerous, decussate, sub-linear-spathulate, 2-21/2 lines long, scarcely 1/2 line broad . . . 3-4-5 together, the bases of the outer pair semiclasping and meeting around the stem . . . petioles short, stout, those of the outermost pair of leaves thickened at bases . . . Involucral scales in 7-8 rows, broadly ovate-obtuse, closely imbricate, bright-yellow, glabrous . . . Florets very few . . . disk, lamina deeply cut into 4-5 linear lobes, their margins thickened and dark-coloured, tips acute hairy . . . ray, lamina very narrow, revolute, 3-nerved, tip 3-toothed . . . Pappus numerous . . . tips acute . . . Achenes small, glabrous, pale, subangular, slightly striate, thickened at top." He compares it to his O. consimilis.

O. aggregata Col. loc. cit. 597 was based on specimens collected by H. Hill "In the Weber district . . . between Dannevirke and the East Coast". His description includes: "Leaves few, distant . . . fascicled 6-8 together, forming very small lateral branchlets, oblong-lanceolate, 3-5 lines long, 11/2 lines wide, not thick . . . tips subacute . . . petiole 1 line long, hairy . . . Flowers numerous, opposite, fascicled: (1) on main branches regularly distant, 3/4 in. apart, and terminal on very short lateral branchlets (or spurs), 4-6 together among leaves; (2) on branchlets much closer, 4-5-fascicled, covering branchlets . . . Involucral scales oblong, very hairy, especially on margins and tips, few in 3 rows . . . Florets few; of ray 6 . . .; of disk 5, tips of their lobes ciliolate. Pappus few . . . much shorter than florets, densely scabrid, tips subacute. Achene small linear angular thickened upwards, dull-brown, glabrous."

O. parvifolia Col. loc. cit. 598 was based on specimens collected by A. Olsen 1894-95 "In low damp grounds, and on margins of water-courses, South Norsewood". His description includes: "Leaves and flowers produced together in small knots or bunches, 5-7 lines apart, opposite; leaves few, 3-4-6 together fascicled . . . 11/2-21/2 lines long, subobovate tapering to base, tip obtuse and rounded . . . petiole 1-11/2 lines long. Heads 3-5 together (sometimes solitary), narrow campanulate, sub 21/2 lines long . . . peduncles slender, 2 lines long, hairy. Involucral scales hairy, in three rows . . . Florets few, of disk and of ray equal in number, usually 4 of each, sometimes 5 . . . Anthers largely exserted their tips very acuminate pungent, pale . . . Pappus few, white, erect, scaberulous . . . Achene small linear terete, thickest at top, glabrous." Colenso places his sp. close to O. virgata.