Cotula plumosa (Hook.f.) Hook.f.
Leptinella plumosa Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. 1, 1844, 26, t. 20.
Type locality: Auckland Is. Type: K, J. D. Hooker no. 1448. Also occurs on Kerguelen, Marion and Crozet Is.
Herb forming large dense patches, parts clad in long villous hairs; stems creeping, up to 3 dm. × 6·5 mm., branches stout, ascending, purplish. Lvs tufted on branchlets. Petiole thin, flat, up to 10 cm. long, widening into membr. sheath ± 4 cm. long; lamina (5)-10-15 × (3·5)-6-9-(14) cm., ± elliptic to obovate in outline, membr., flaccid, pale green, veins evident; suboppositely to alternately 3-4-pinnate to pinnatifid, costa flat; pinnae up to 15 pairs, 2-5 cm. long, rather close-set; ultimate segs 4-5 mm. long, linear, toothed on upper margins, apiculate to hair-tipped. Scapes slender, < lvs, us. with white floccose hairs; bract us. 1, linear, entire or toothed, situated near capitulum. Capitula 6-8-12 mm. diam., receptacle conical. Phyll. 2-3 series; outer subulate from broad base ± clad in long delicate hairs, inner rounded at apex, purple-margined, midrib and pair of lateral veins evident. ♀in 2 series, pedicels very short, corolla dilated at base, minutely 4-toothed. ♂ narrow-funnelform, 5-toothed. Achenes narrow-cylindric to compressed-obovoid, glandular, 2-3 mm., ribs rather weak.
DIST.: A., C., A B. W. Taylor (Rep. Aust. nat. antarct. Res. Exped. Ser nt., M. Maritime rocks, cliffs and salt-marshes.
B. W. Taylor (Rep. Aust. nat. antarct. Res. Exped. Ser. B, 2, 1955, 136) remarks of the Macquarie plant: "It is generally found close to the sea and always in areas influenced by sea spray or animal dung. Its development is limited by taller-growing species. It grows in dry to very wet peat, sand, gravel and in Colobanthus muscoides cushions. . . . It may grow as single rosettes but more frequently it is found in small patches up to several yards in diameter. . . . Petioles are from 1 to 41/2 inches long, and leaf blades from 1/4 to 51/2 inches long. The flower head is from 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch in diameter and the rhizome is up to 12 inches long and 1/4 of an inch in width. . . . Its fruit is elliptical, 3 mm. by 1 mm."
