Flora of New Zealand Series

gaillardia

Perennial herb, 20-80 cm tall. Stems moderately to densely hairy, usually much-branched from base, often tinged reddish purple. Lvs very variable, all glandular and moderately to densely clothed on both surfaces with short and long jointed hairs; basal lvs petiolate, elliptic, acute, cuneate, entire, finely serrate or rarely pinnatifid, 4-15 cm long; lower and mid cauline lvs petiolate or cuneately narrowed to stem, usually 1-pinnatifid or coarsely toothed, sometimes serrate or entire; uppermost lvs apetiolate, oblong to lanceolate, often amplexicaul, usually entire, sometimes serrate, 3-10 cm long. Capitula 4-8 cm diam., long-pedunculate. Involucral bracts in 3 rows, densely hairy, glandular and ciliate, ovate-triangular to lanceolate, acute or acuminate, 8-25 mm long, reflexed at fruiting. Ray florets 8-18; ligules yellow to yellow-orange, darker orange or red to purple near base, or yellow only at tips; disc florets numerous, tinged purple or crimson. Setae filiform, glabrous, = or > achenes. Achenes 3.5-5 mm long, obscured by long antrorse hairs; pappus scales 6-8, ovate-lanceolate, aristate, 5-10 mm long, with the awn 1-2× length of body.

N.: known from one collection only, Lake Ferry, Palliser Bay, Wellington; S.: Opihi R. (near Geraldine) and Lake Pukaki (Canterbury), and well established locally in C. Otago.

Cultivated hybrid 1958

Waste places, grassland, riverbeds.

FL Jan-Mar.

G. × grandiflora is a hybrid between G. aristata Pursh and G. pulchella Foug.. This is the common gaillardia of horticulture, although both the parents are also grown. Many cvs have been developed both overseas and in N.Z.; heads vary from plain red to yellow, with many bicolour variations - several colour forms are represented among naturalised material. Wild material has previously been referred to G. pulchella which is distinguished from G. ×grandiflora by its annual habit, shorter stature (usually < 45 cm) and the awn of the pappus scales which is equal in length to the body.