Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: "Nelson, on the mountains". Type: K, Bidwill 46. Recorded (T.N.Z.I. 65, 1935, 230) from near Tuamarina, collected by E. P. Turner.

Medium tufted herb, stock us. simple, pseudo-stem ± 4 cm. long. Lamina coriac., ± 4-8-12 cm. × (10)-12-20-(25) mm.; oblong-obovate to elliptic-oblong; upper surface glab., sts slightly viscid, pale green when fresh; lower densely clad in closely appressed satiny pale yellow to buff or almost white tomentum, nerves conspicuous in lower part; obtuse, sts apiculate; margins crenate to crenate-dentate, teeth us. with distinct apiculus, slightly narrowed to broad grooved short petiole or directly into glab. sheath c. 2 × 1 cm. Scape rather stout, 5-10-25 cm. long, viscid with dense glandular hairs. Bracts linear to subulate, glandular-pubescent, lower up to 4 cm. long. Capitula (2)-3-4-(5) cm. diam.; phyll. ± 13 mm. long, outer densely glandular-pubescent, linear-subulate, acute, midrib distinct, margins sts ± floccose. Ray-florets ∞, ± 12 mm. long, tube slender, limb narrow-linear. Disk-florets ± 7 mm. long, tubular to narrow-funnelform, teeth narrow-triangular. Achenes c. 5 mm. long, strongly ribbed, cylindric to subfusiform; hairs us. few, weak. Pappus-hairs white to sordid-white, slender, up to c. 6 mm. long, finely barbellate.

DIST.: N., S. Montane to subalpine grassland, herbfield; marginal to fellfield and debris slopes. Ruahine and Tararua Ranges to c. lat. 41° 30'.

A rather polymorphic sp. needing cultural and genetic treatment. The vars accepted are linked with the large form described above by intermediate, probably mostly hybrid, forms, and with C. dallii. Habitat conditions probably also play a part.