Flora of New Zealand Series

Annual to perennial, glab. to pubescent, erect to prostrate herbs; simple to much-branched, 3-60 cm. tall, with solitary to ∞ capitula corymbosely arranged. Lvs 1-6 cm. long, fleshy to membr., entire to toothed or variously lobed or pinnatifid; lobes broad-oblong to linear, obtuse to acute, toothed or not; petiolate to sessile, with or without amplexicaul bases. Capitula 5-20 mm. diam.; phyll. 10-15, linear, acute, us. distinctly 2-ribbed, reflexed in age, us. with a few small linear ones at base, forming a subamplexicaul involucre; ray-florets 10-15 or absent; ligules yellow, short to long, spreading to recurved, sts revolute; disk-florets ∞, about = involucre. Achenes linear, grooved, pubescent to glab., up to c. 3 mm. long; pappus-hairs us. cop., slender, finely to distinctly barbellate.

DIST.: K., Three Kings, N., S., St., Ch. Coastal to subalpine rocky places, open grassland and fellfield throughout.

FL.- FT. all year. Type probably from South Id.

The epithet lautus has been ascribed both to Solander and to G. Forster. Solander's description in his Primitiae Florae Novae Zelandiae was not published, but clearly refers to the deeply pinnatifid-lvd coastal plant. Forster (Prodr. 1786, 91) merely gives the name, attributing it to Solander and referring back to his description. The first valid publication of the name appears to be that of Willdenow in Species Plantarum ed. 4, vol. 3, 1804, p. 1981. The description "foliis oblongo-lanceolatis, petiolatis, aequaliter serratis, summis integerrimis" greatly contrasts with that of Solander, "folia profunde pinnatifida; laciniis pluribus".

In current floras a myriad of forms found in Australia, Tasmania and N.Z. are included under the name S. lautus. Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 341) remarks: "An extremely variable plant, many forms of which have been described as species, but pass into each other so gradually that they can hardly be distinguished even as varieties." Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 1016) remarks similarly, and adds: "The chief varieties found in New Zealand may be briefly characterized as follows, but it must be borne in mind that intermediates are not uncommon".

In N.Z. there is a range from simple entire-lvd plants flowering at 3 cm. tall, with a solitary capitulum, to much-branched plants 60 cm. or more tall, with dissected lvs and ∞ capitula. A satisfactory treatment could only be produced after years of study in herbaria, the field, by transplant studies and by genetical and cultural work in the experimental garden. There is good evidence that habitat modifications and genetically distinct races both play a part in the existent polymorphy. No definite evidence of hybridism has so far been brought forward.

A generalized description is given, followed by a statement of the spp. and vars so far described from N.Z. material.

(a) S. lautus Willd. Sp. Pl. 3, 1804, 1981. Lvs oblong-lanceolate, petiolate, evenly serrate, entire towards tips; ligules "revolute" [recurved?].

(b) S. neglectus A. Rich. Essai Fl. N.Z. 1832, 258. Lvs subfleshy, amplexicaul, pinnatifid, glab. or somewhat pilose, segs ± deeply cut, acute; peduncles few-fld, ligules "revolute". Type locality: Astrolabe Harbour, South Id. Type: P.

Solander's specimens, Hooker's S. lautus var. lautus and Cheeseman's S. lautus var. a belong here. A specimen (W) collected by W. Travers on Chatham Id also fits here.

(c) S. lautus var. lautus Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 1, 1853, 145. Branched; lvs pinnatifid, segs linear; ligules elongate, spreading. S. linifolius Labill. Nov. Holl. Pl. Sp. is given by Hooker as a synonym.

(d) S. lautus var. raoulii Hook. f. loc. cit. Stems subsimple; lvs linear-oblong or spathulate, sinuate-dentate, ligules small or 0. Appears to include certain of the forms referred to var. montanus of Cheeseman.

(e) S. lautus var. macrocephalus Hook. f. loc. cit. Stems branched; lvs sinuate-pinnatifid or lobed, variously incised; capitula larger, depressed-hemispheric, ligules "revolute".

(f) S. lautus var. carnosulus Kirk Stud. Fl. 1899, 341. Stems stout, prostrate to decumbent; lvs very fleshy, sessile by a broad base; lobes broad, obtuse. Heads "obconic", bracts fleshy, thick. Rays very short. Achenes silky. "Not uncommon on maritime rocks".

(g) S. lautus var. a Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 373. Much-branched; lvs deeply pinnatifid; segs us. long and narrow, often toothed. Capitula 8-12.5 mm. diam., ligulate. Coastal and inland. Coastal forms included here by Cheeseman correspond to S. neglectus A. Rich.  Cheeseman (loc. cit.) considers Kirk's var. carnosulus to be "probably a form of this".

(h) S. lautus var. montanus Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 373. Simple to sparingly branched; lvs up to 6 cm. long, oblong to spathulate or lanceolate, entire, toothed or pinnatifid; upper lvs petiolate to subsessile with or without small auricles. Capitula 12.5-20 mm. diam.; ligules often recurved; achenes 2-2.5 mm. long, grooved, densely pilose-pubescent to almost glab.; pappus-hairs up to 5·5 mm. long, finely barbellate. "A common mountain plant in both the North and South Islands".

(i) S. lautus var. discoideus Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 374. Sparingly branched, prostrate to decumbent; lvs very fleshy; lower obovate-oblong to spathulate in outline, coarsely toothed to lobed or pinnatifid in basal region; upper linear-oblong, pinnatifid. Capitula 12.5-20 mm. or more diam.; phyll. with narrow scarious margins; ligules absent. Achenes 3-3·5 mm. long, ribbed, densely pubescent-scabridulous; pappus-hairs up to 5 mm. long, rather stiff, finely barbellate. Dist.: S. Montane to subalpine open grassland and open ground. Type locality: Mt. Torlesse, 3500 ft. Type: A, 10596, T. F. Cheeseman, Jan. 1880.