Flora of New Zealand Series

Stoloniferous perennial; prostrate stems 1-2 mm diam., < 30 cm long; erect stems 1-2 mm diam., < 4 cm long. Lvs 2-10 cm long; stipules entire or 2-fid; leaflets 7-11, broadly obovate, 5-12 × 3-8 mm, 7-10-toothed, with lower ⅓ of margin entire, glaucous and hairy on both surfaces, rugose on upper surface; teeth penicillate, often red. Scape (7)-20 cm long, pilose; capitulum c. 10 mm diam. at flowering, < 2 cm diam. (including spines) at fruiting; florets c. 50-70; sepals 4; stamens 2; anthers white; style 1, white; achene 1. Fr. obconic, c. 4 × 2 mm, densely hairy; spines 4, pale brown, < 7.5 mm long, barbed.

S.: E. of main divide.

Endemic.

Montane to subalpine short tussock grassland.

FL Nov-Jan FT Dec-Mar.

A. caesiiglauca var. pilosa (Kirk) Allan was based on A. sanguisorbae M. Vahl. var. pilosa Kirk for which no type has been found. Macmillan, B. H., New Zealand J. Bot. 21: 347-352 (1983), concluded that Kirk intended to name A. caesiiglauca.