Flora of New Zealand Series

Solidago arborescens Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 56.

Steiractis arborescens DC. Prodr. 5, 1836, 345.

Shawia arborescens Raoul Choix 1846, 45.

Eurybia nitida Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 1, 1853, 117.

Eurybia alpina Lindl. et Paxt. Flower Gdn 2, 1851, 84.

Olearia nitida Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 125.

Type locality: Dusky Sound. Type: K, Forster.

Shrub or tree up to 4 m. tall; branchlets angular. Lvs ± 4-8 × ± 2-4 cm. including petiole up to 2 cm. long, broad- to elliptic-ovate, acute, subcoriac.; glab. above when mature, clad in thin appressed satiny tomentum below; margins distantly sinuate-dentate to subentire. Corymbs large, effuse; pedicels slender, pubescent. Capitula up to 7 mm. long, 1·5 cm. diam.; phyll. imbricate, oblong-elliptic, obtuse to subacute, outer pilose on back, inner glab. except at tips and on margins. Florets 15-20; ray-florets 7-10 with a short broad ray. Achenes narrow-linear, c. 2 mm. long, compressed, pilose, striate; pappus-hairs up to 5 mm. long.

DIST .: N., S., St. Forest and shrubland, lowland to montane, from lat. 38° southwards.

FL. 10-1. FT. 12-3.

As at present understood O. arborescens includes (apart from O. cheesemanii and O. capillaris, sts included as vars) a number of forms the status of which has not been adequately studied. Colouration of pappus-hairs is in part at least dependent on conditions at collecting, treatment in the press, and age. The problem is complicated by the prevalence of hybridism and epharmonic change. Described forms are:

(a) O. populifolia Col. in T.N.Z.I. 17, 1885, 243. Lvs broadly ovate, tapering to an acute or subacuminate tip, margins distinctly undulate, lamina (Kew specimens) 7·5 × 4·5 cm.; achenes < 2 mm. long, very hairy, pappus-hairs with reddish tips. "Woods, east side of the Ruahine Mountain range", H. Hill and A. Hamilton.

(b) O. suborbiculata Col. in T.N.Z.I. 18, 1886, 263. Lvs 3·5-5·5 cm. long, broadly elliptic, base rounded and regular, margins entire in lower half, upper half with few very small teeth; receptacle pits with large ragged borders; pappus-hairs white. "Hilly country in the interior, Patea, betwen Napier and Tongariro Mountain", A. Lascelles.

(c) O. erythropappa Col. in T.N.Z.I. 22, 1890, 468. Lvs suborbicular, 7·5-9 × 6·5 cm., pappus-hairs bright red; achenes 1-1·5 mm. long. "Thickets, base of Mount Ruapehu, H. Hill." The specimen at K has lvs 6 × 5 cm., suborbicular, abruptly pointed, distantly toothed; florets c. 17, pappus-hairs tinged red.

(d) O. multiflora Col. in T.N.Z.I. 27, 1895, 387. Low shrub up to 1 m. tall; lvs chartaceous, broad-elliptic, 5·5-7 × 3·5-5 cm.; crenatures few, distant. Capitula ∞, 6-7 cm. diam.; achenes angled; pappus-hairs red-pink. "Ruahine Mountain range", A. Olsen.

(e) O. arborescens var. cordatifolia Kirk Stud. Fl. 1899, 268. Lvs orbiculate, shortly acuminate, rounded or cordate at base, very coriac. Capitula broad-turbinate; phyll. c. 20; florets 20 or more, rays very long and narrow. A specimen at K has lamina 5 × 4·5 cm., broad-ovate, subentire, cordate at base, apiculate at tip. Type locality: Stewart Id. Type: W, T. Kirk.