Celmisia major Cheeseman var. major
Type locality: "Cliffs north of the Manukau Harbour". Type: A, T. F. Cheeseman.
Herb with tufted lvs arising from simple to multicipital stock, pseudo-stem ± 6 cm. long. Lamina (10)-15-20-(40) cm. × (5)-10-(20) mm.; narrow-linear tapering regularly from sheath to acute apex, coriac.; upper surface clad in thin pellicle (thicker towards base), sulcate; lower densely clad in silvery white satiny appressed tomentum, midrib evident; margins distinctly recurved. Sheath pale, thin, c. 6 cm. long, nerves evident, margins ± densely clad in floccose hairs in upper part. Scape stout up to ± 20 cm. long, pellicled to subfloccose; bracts ascending, lamina almost filiform up to 25 mm. long, tomentum as in lvs; uppermost bracts forming a distinct pseudo-involucre. Capitula 2-4 cm. diam.; phyll. linear-subulate acuminate, ciliate, glab. on surfaces, up to 2 cm. long. Ray-florets ∞, c. 2 cm. long, tube very slender, limb gradually widening to apex. Disk-florets funnelform, c. 9 mm. long, teeth narrow-triangular. Achenes narrow-cylindric, grooved, glab. or very nearly so, c. 6-7 mm. long. Pappus-hairs white, very slender, hardly barbellate, up to 8 mm. long.
DIST.: N. Rocky places. Great Barrier Id, Manukau Harbour to Piha.
