Flora of New Zealand Series

Erect or ascending annual herb, 3-20 cm tall. Stems tomentose, branched at base or only above to form infl. Cauline lvs tomentose on lower surface, moderately to densely tomentose on upper, narrowly oblong-elliptic to narrowly ovate-lanceolate, acute, apetiolate and broad-based, flat or sometimes slightly involute, 4-10 × 0.5-2 mm. Capitula c. 1-2 mm diam., in sessile clusters of (1)-2-8, terminal or in axils of branches; lvs subtending clusters lanceolate, not exceeding clusters. Involucral bracts tomentose, c. 1.5 mm long. Outer scales tomentose outside, herbaceous with membranous margin, 2.5-3 mm long, keeled at base; inner scales glabrous, herbaceous with broad membranous margins, obtuse to acute at apex, 2-2.5 mm long. Disc yellowish. Achenes of outer ♀ florets glabrous, 0.7-0.9 mm long; achenes of inner florets minutely and sparsely papillate, 0.5-0.6 mm long; pappus caducous, denticulate, free at base.

S.: locally common in inland S. Canterbury and N. and C. Otago, also collected once from Lincoln and Bankside near Christchurch.

Europe 1979

Open stony ground, depleted grassland, waste places, rock outcrops, riverbeds.

FL Nov-Mar.

The sp. has been previously known in N.Z. as Filago minima.