Flora of New Zealand Series

C. uniflora Forst. f. var. pedicellata Kirk Stud. Fl. 1899, 317. 

Treated by Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 989) as synonym of C. fimbriata var. robusta Hook. f.

Type locality: "The Old Neck". Type: W, T. Kirk.

Rosette-lvs up to 15 × 5 cm.; glomerules up to 5 cm. diam. Capitula on pedicels 4-8 mm. long; florets up to 6 mm. long, exceeding pappus-hairs up to 5 mm. long.

DIST.: St. Coastal.

POLYMORPHY AND HYBRIDISM

Hooker, Kirk and Cheeseman refer all N.Z. forms to the one sp., which they speak of as "extremely" or "most" variable. Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 990) adds: "The three varieties described above look very distinct in their extreme forms, but are connected with the ordinary state [C. uniflora var. uniflora?] of the species by numerous intermediates". Though I know of no exact progeny tests the field evidence is decisive that true-breeding units occur sufficiently diverse to justify separating as spp. Much of the diversity within the spp. can be traced to habitat-induced modification, but there is good evidence that hybridism also occurs, e.g. within the vars of C. uniflora, between C. incana and C. lanata, and between C. uniflora and C. minor. The whole group would provide an excellent field for the study of geographical races, ecotypes, and introgression. Hairs are of three kinds: (a) short and glandular; (b) long and very slender throughout; (c) broad at base, contracting suddenly to a long slender thread that is soon lost, leaving a short stiff "subhispid" stump. Proportions and arrangements of these different kinds of hairs seem to offer good supplementary diagnostic characters.