Flora of New Zealand Series

silky cudweed

Annual, 7-40 cm tall, usually branched only at base; stem 1-5-(many), usually erect, sometimes ascending. Basal lvs mostly 0 at flowering, sometimes present and withered. Lower cauline lvs apetiolate, sparsely to densely silky hairy on both surfaces, ± concolorous, usually plane, oblanceolate to narrowly obovate-oblong, obtuse, mucronate, usually flat, sometimes undulate, (8)-30- 50-(80) × 4-8-(15) mm; upper cauline lvs smaller, narrow, folded upwards, often undulate, usually falcate. Capitula in terminal and axillary clusters; clusters usually forming dense terminal spikes and often scattered below. Involucral bracts oblong, usually apiculate, sometimes obtuse, 3-4 mm long; stereome green, sometimes tinged reddish purple; lamina pale to dark brown, often with a darker band toward base and flushed reddish purple; gap and margins clear or marked reddish purple; outer bracts glabrous, or sparsely hairy at base. Achenes minutely papillate, c. 0.5 mm long.

N.: scattered localities in Northland, Auckland City, Coromandel, and Wellington Province; S.: one collection from Fairhall (Marlborough); K.: Raoul Id.

N.E. Argentina 1970

Waste places, especially stony sites, coastal areas, pasture, scrubland.

FL Nov-Jan.

G. subfalcatum is very similar to G. calviceps, but is usually distinguished by the plane lower lvs, less branched stems, dense spikes, and the bracts which are usually bright reddish purple in bud. However, not all N.Z. material can be assigned with certainty to one or other sp.