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Volume I (1961) - Flora of New Zealand Indigenous Tracheophyta - Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons
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Celmisia Cass.

CELMISIA Cass., 1825

Capitula solitary on bracted scapes (occ. forms may be found with branched scapes). Phyll. us. ∞, imbricate in several to occ. rather many series, narrow; receptacle pitted, sts strongly so, ± convex. Ray-florets pistillate, us. in 1 row, often ∞; limb white, rarely flushed lilac to pale mauve or very pale yellow. Disk-florets perfect, ∞, corolla funnelform to tubular, 5-toothed, yellow (purple in C. vernicosa, or apparently very rarely very pale yellow). Anthers ± sagittate, tails, if present, very short. Style-arms flattened, apically appendaged. Achenes us. ± narrow-cylindric and ribbed, hairy to glab.; pappus of us. ∞ unequal strongly to weakly barbellate hairs. Perennial herbs or subshrubs of diverse habit; lvs densely tufted or imbricate along branches; us. tomentose, at least on lower surface, petioled or lamina passing almost directly into a persistent sheath. Some 58 spp. endemic to N.Z. and a few in Australia and Tasmania. Type sp. C. longifolia of Australia.

SYNOPSIS

  • A. Section LIGNOSAE. 
    • Subshrubs with hard woody stems and branches; lvs imbricate along the branches, sheaths long-persistent; disk-florets yellow.
    • 1. Subsecion IMBRICATAE. 
      • Living lvs not concentrated in rosulate clusters at tips of branchlets
      • (a) Series Robustae. 
        • Stems and branches and us. branchlets very stout, us. elongate, plants us. straggling:
        • 1. walkeri, 2. rupestris, 3. lateralis, 4. ramulosa, 5. gibbsii, 6. brevifolia
      • (b) Series Nanae. 
        • Stems and branches less stout, more compact; plants us. forming close cushions or mats:
        • 7. sessiliflora, 8. argentea, 9. laricifolia
    • 2. Subsection ROSULATAE. 
      • Living lvs concentrated in rosulate clusters at tips of branchlets
      • (a) Series Discoloratae. 
        • Upper surface of lamina glab, or with closely appressed hairs or thin pellicle, lower surface clad in satiny white tomentum (or soft white in incana):
        • 10. discolor, 11. incana; 12. angustifolia; 13. du-rietzii, 14. lindsayi, 15. bonplandii, 16. haastii; 17. hectori; 18. cockayniana
      • (b) Series Viscosae. 
        • Plants excessively viscid:
        • 19. viscosa
      • (c) Series Lanatae. 
        • Both lamina-surfaces clad in dense long matted hairs:
        • 20. allanii, 21. macmahonii
      • (d) Series Glabratae. 
        • Both lamina-surfaces glab.:
        • 22. sinclairii
  • B. Section HERBACEAE. 
    • Herbs arising from simple to branched hard stocks; lvs in dense tufts (rarely rosulate at tips of branchlets); sheaths us. densely compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Disk-florets yellow.
    • 1. Subsection STOLONIFERAE. 
      • Plants with us. well-developed stolons or at least multicipital stock; lamina glab, on upper surface, often plicate
      • (a) Series Abbreviatae. 
        • Stock shortly branched, lower surface of lamina with satiny white tomentum:
        • 23. densiflora
      • (b) Series Elongatae. 
        • Stolons well-developed, us. lfy, rooting at nodes:
        • 24. prorepens, 25. glabrescens
      • (c) Series Glandulosae. 
        • Lamina glandular-pubescent on both surfaces, reticulations evident:
        • 26. glandulosae.
    • 2. Subsection CAESPITOSAE. 
      • Stems slender, much-branched, creeping and rooting; plants forming close patches or mats; living lvs in depressed rosulate clusters at tips of branchlets:
      • 27. bellidioides, 28. thomsonii, 29. parva
    • 3. Subsection SPECTABILES. 
      • Lamina glab. above or with thin pellicle, below clad in thick felted mass of buff to yellowish (rarely white) hairs; stock often multicipital, or plant spreading by short rhizomes:
      • 30. spectabilis
    • 4. Subsection PELLICULATAE. 
      • Upper surface of lamina clad in distinct ± loose pellicle, lower in appressed white satiny tomentum:
      • 31. coriacea, 32. monroi, 33. dubia
    • 5. Subsection SERRATAE. 
      • Lamina-margin with distinct acute teeth, not obscured by indumentum:
      • 34. hieracifolia, 35. dallii, 36. holosericea
    • 6. Subsection PETIOLATAE. 
      • Lamina with conspicuous petiole, not a mere narrowing in sheath, midrib prominent, upper surface glab. when mature or becoming nearly so
      • (a) Series Pallidae. 
        • Tomentum of lower surface of lamina velvety, white to pale buff:
        • 37. hookeri, 38. verbascifolia.
      • (b) Series Ferrugineae. 
        • Tomentum of lower surface of lamina velvety, ferruginous:
        • 39. traversii, 40. cordatifolia, 41. praestans, 42. rigida (tomentum white in some forms)
      • (c) Series Niveae. 
        • Tomentum of lower surface of lamina appressed, white, satiny:
        • 43. petiolata, 44. rutlandii
      • (d) Series Acuminatae. 
        • Lamina completely glab., ± glaucous-tinged, acuminate; bracts acuminate:
        • 45. mackaui
    • 7. Subsection ANGUSTATAE. 
      • Lamina of narrow-lanceolate to linear order
      • (a) Series Lanceolatae. 
        • Lamina stiff, of lanceolate to ensiform order:
        • 46. armstrongii, 47. lanceolata, 48. petriei, 49. lyallii; 50. morganii; 51. adamsii, 52. major
      • (b) Series Lineares. 
        • Lamina of narrow-linear order:
        • 53. gracilenta, 54. insignis, 55. spedenii, 56. alpina, 57. graminifolia
  • C. Section ANTARCTICAE. 
    • Laminae rigid, very glossy, in dense appressed rosettes at tips of branching stolons, forming small to large mats. Disk-florets purple (occ. "pale lilac to almost mauve"):
    • 58. vernicosa

Key

1
Disk-florets purple
58. vernicosa
Disk-florets yellow
2
2
Stems, branches and branchlets distinctly woody; lvs imbricate along branches and branchlets; living lvs sts forming rosulate tufts at tips of branchlets
3
Stems, branches and branchlets and lvs not showing the above characters in combination
24
3
Living lvs not forming rosulate tufts at tips of branchlets
4
Living lvs forming distinct terminal rosulate tufts
12
4
Stems and branches very stout and hard-wooded, long
5
Stems and branches us. slender, less hard-wooded, short
10
5
Lamina 6-9 mm. wide, rounded at apex, of oblong order
6. brevifolia
Lamina not > 5 mm. wide, narrowly obtuse to acute or acuminate at apex, of linear to lanceolate order
6
6
Lamina clad below in ± deciduous scurfy scales, linear-lanceolate, 10-15-(20) × 2-3·5 mm.; scapes with sparse scurfy scales
5. gibbsii
Lamina and scapes not having the above characters in combination
7
7
Lamina rather densely clad above in soft white tomentum
2. rupestris
Lamina glab. or nearly so above, may be ± glandular
8
8
Lamina glab. or nearly so below, ± viscid
3. lateralis
Lamina clad below in soft white tomentum
9
9
Lamina (20)-30-50 × 3-5 mm.; scape 10-15-(20) cm
1. walkeri
Lamina 5-10 × 1·5-2 mm.; scape 1-4 cm
4. ramulosa
10
Branchlets very flexible; lamina flexible, with delicate deciduous pellicle, apiculus long and very slender
9. laricifolia
Branchlets and lamina stiff to rigid; lamina clad above and below in appressed tomentum
11
11
Lamina 10-15-20-(30) × 1·5-2-(3) mm
7. sessiliflora
Lamina 3-5 × 0·5-1·5 mm
8. argentea
12
Upper surface of lamina clad in ± dense soft ± appressed tomentum
13
Upper surface of lamina glab., or at first with very thin pellicle
17
13
Tomentum of lower surface of lamina satiny
14
Tomentum of lower surface of lamina felted or velvety or floccose
16
14
Lamina (10)-15-20-(25) × (3)-5-7-(10) mm.; linear- to spathu- late-oblong, or linear-obovate
17. hectori
Lamina 20-40 × 8-15 mm.; oblong to obovate-oblong to ± spathulate
15
15
Lamina ± 20-40 × 8-10 mm.; tomentum of upper surface us. greyish, rather thin
10. discolor
Lamina ± (20)-25-40 × (10)-12-15 mm.; tomentum of upper surface us. distinctly white, rather thick
11. incana
16
Lvs flaccid, lamina 10-15 mm. wide, hairs white to greyish
20. allanii
Lvs stiff, lamina 6-8 mm. wide, hairs silvery, silky
21. macmahonii
17
Lamina glab. on both surfaces
22. sinclairii
Lamina with distinct indumentum below
18
18
Lamina linear to linear-spathulate or linear-subulate
19
Lamina not as above
20
19
Lamina very viscid, 6-15 cm. × 6-9 mm.; ribs ∞, very prominent on undersurface of lamina
19. viscosa
Lamina not or only slightly viscid, 2.5-5 cm. × 2-6 mm.; ribs few, not prominent
12. angustifolia
20
Lamina ± 3-6 cm. × 7-10 mm.; sheath translucent, glab., ± 2.5-4 cm. × 5 mm.; scape glab. or nearly so, sts glandular-pubescent, ± 20 cm. long; achenes 5-6 mm. long, hairs dense, silky
13. du-rietzii
Lamina etc. not as above in combination
21
21
Achenes glab.; lamina ± (3)-4-8 cm. × 10-15-(25) mm.; sheath delicate, pale yellow-green, ± 2-3 cm. × 5 mm.
16. haastii
Achenes with at least some hairs on ribs; lamina and sheath not as above in combination
22
22
Achenial hairs very dense; lamina ± 4-8-(10) cm. × 10-15 mm.; sheath c. 10 mm. long
18. cockayniana
Achenial hairs rather sparse; lamina and sheath not as above in combination
23
23
Lamina ± 10-15 × 1.5-2.5 cm.; sheath c. 3 × 1 cm., coriac.; scape (5)-10-(20) cm., flexuous, sparsely hairy; achenes 3-4mm. long
14. lindsayi
Lamina (4)-6-10 × (1.5)-2-3 cm.; sheath c. 2-3 × 1.5-2 cm., sub-coriac.; scape ± 15-30 cm., rather stout, glab. or very nearly so; achenes 2.5-3 mm. long
15. bonplandii
24
Stems, branches, branchlets depressed, herbaceous; lvs us. in rosulate tufts at tips of branchlets
25
Pseudo-stem formed by compacted imbricate lf-sheaths arising from a ± woody simple or branched stock; rhizomes or stolons sts present
28
25
Laminae imbricate, very narrow-linear, not > 1.5 mm. wide, apex with long delicate apiculus
9. laricifolia
Laminae of oblong to lanceolate order, not < 3 mm. wide, in rosulate tufts at tips of branchlets, without conspicuous apiculus
26
26
Lamina clad below in dense white tomentum
29. parva
Lamina glab. or setulose below
27
27
Lamina lustrous above, quite glab
27. bellidioides
Lamina dull above, ± setulose
28. thomsonii
28
Lower surface of lamina completely glab. or with glandular hairs only or with thin pellicle
29
Lower surface very distinctly clad in dense tomentum
37
29
Lower surface of lamina glandular or pubescent or with pellicle
30
Lower surface of lamina perfectly glab.
32
30
Lamina-margins finely serrulate, cuneately narrowed to almost linear petiole
25. glabrescens
Lamina-margins coarsely serrate, petiole flat or winged
31
31
Lamina 35-50-(80) × 12-15-(25) mm., glab. above, with thin pellicle below
24. prorepens
Lamina (10)-15-25-(30) × (5 )-10-15 mm., glandular on both surfaces
26. glandulosa
32
Lamina 35-50-(80) × 12-15-(25) mm., surface strongly longitudinally wrinkled
24. prorepens
Lamina dimensions either much smaller or much larger, surface not markedly wrinkled
33
33
Lamina of oblong order, not > 15 mm. long
34
Lamina of linear to lanceolate or ensiform order, not < 15 cm. long
35
34
Upper surface of lamina lustrous
27. bellidioides
Upper surface of lamina dull
23. thomsonii
35
Lamina thin, flaccid or nearly so, ± glaucous, 5-10-(15) cm. wide; apex acuminate, flexible
45. mackaui
Lamina thick, rigid or stiff, not at all glaucous, not > c. 3 cm. wide; apex pungent or subpungent
36
36
Lamina with a stout pair of ribs (sts double) parallel to rather obscure midrib
48. petriei
Lamina without lateral pair of ribs, midrib more evident
49. lyallii
37
Lamina clad below in dense satiny tomentum
38
Lamina clad below in dense soft felted or velvety tomentum
62
38
Lamina-margins with clearly visible teeth
39
Lamina-margins entire or teeth obscured by tomentum
43
39
Lamina not > 3 × 1 cm., teeth minute
29. parva
Lamina not < 6 × 1·5 cm., teeth conspicuous
40
40
Lamina ± 6-12-(15) × 1·5-2.5-(4) cm., narrowly obovate-oblong
23. densiflora
Lamina not as above
41
41
Lamina ± (8)-10-15-20 × (3)-4-(5) cm.; scape-bracts foliaceous, lower (25)-35-50 mm. long; achenes (2)-3-(4) mm., hairs us. ∞
35. dallii
Lamina, bracts, achenes not as above in combination
42
42
Lamina ± 4-8-12 × (1)-2-(2.5) cm.; scape-bracts with linear to subulate lamina, lower up to 4 cm. long; achenes c. 4 mm., hairs us. few, weak
34. hieracifolia
Lamina ± (12)-15-20-(30) × (2.5)-4-5-(6·5) cm.; scape-bracts with linear-subulate lamina, lower up to 5 cm. long; achenes 5-6 mm., hairs ∞, dense
36. holosericea
43
Lamina ± 5-15 × (1·5)-3-4-(6) cm., narrowed to petiole c. 2 cm. long, apex acute to subacute; sheath clad in floccose white hairs
44. rutlandii
Lamina, petiole and sheath not as above in combination
44
44
Lamina distinctly petiolate
45
Lamina passing directly into sheath or petiole very short, hardly differentiated
52
45
Lamina ± pilose on upper surface
46
Lamina without hairs on upper surface, except as pellicle
47
46
Petiole and midrib dark purple
43. petiolata
Petiole and midrib not purple
37. hookeri
47
Pellicle very thin, inconspicuous, us. early deciduous
48
Pellicle rather thick, conspicuous, us. long persistent
50
48
Lamina not > c. 1 mm. wide
56. alpina
Lamina not < c. 4 mm. wide
49
49
Lamina 5-15 cm. × 4-10 mm.; petiole ± 2 cm. long; sheath very thin, without floccose hairs
57. graminifolia
Lamina 15-20-35 cm. × 10-40 mm.; petiole ± (2)-5-10 cm. long; sheath with floccose hairs
50. morganii
50
Lamina (2)-3-4-(6) dm. × 2.5-4-8-10 cm.; ray-florets (2)-3-4 cm. long; achenes 6-7 mm. long
31. coriacea
Lamina not > ± 15 × 2 cm.; ray-florets and us. achenes distinctly shorter
51
51
Lamina (7)-10-(15) cm. × (5)-10-15-(20) mm.; ray-florets ± 2 cm. long; achenes 5-6 mm. long
32. monroi
Lamina (3)-5-15 cm. × 10-15 mm.; ray-florets c. 12 mm. long; achenes c. 3 mm. long
33. dubia
52
Lamina 5-30 × (0·5)-0.75-1 mm
56. alpina
Lamina of quite different dimensions
53
53
Lamina ± 20-30-(50) × 4-8 cm., of oblong to broad-spathulate order; margins clad in woolly hairs; phyll. softly white-woolly on back
37. hookeri
Lamina etc. not having the above characters in combination
54
54
Lamina rigid, pungent or subpungent
55
Lamina flexible (may be stiff), not at all pungent
56
55
Lamina with a stout pair of ribs (sts double) parallel to rather obscure midrib (sts with a further pair ± developed)
48. petriei
Lamina with a prominent midrib, lacking stout pair of lateral ribs
49. lyallii
56
Lamina stiff to rather rigid, of ± lanceolate order
57
Lamina quite flexible, of narrow-linear order
58
57
Lamina ± (15)-25-35-(40) × 1-2 cm., with a broad yellow band on each side of midrib
46. armstrongii
Lamina ± 25-30 × 2.5-4 cm., midrib stout, yellowish to orange, without a pair of lateral bands
47. lanceolata
58
Achenes distinctly hairy
59
Achenes glab. or very nearly so
60
59
Lamina ± 10-15-(30) cm. × (3)-4-5-(8) mm.; pellicle conspicuous, white-silvery, transversely wrinkled (at least when dry)
54. insignis
Lamina (4)-5-(12) cm. × 2-3-(4) mm.; pellicle inconspicuous, greyish
55. spedenii
60
Lamina (5)-10-(20) mm. wide, sheath-margins ± floccose; achenes 6-7 mm. long
52. major
Lamina not > 5 mm. wide, sheath-margins glab. or nearly so; achenes not > 5 mm. long
61
61
Lamina-margins strongly recurved, often to midrib
53. gracilenta
Lamina-margins flat or very slightly recurved
57. graminifolia
62
Indumentum of lower surface of lamina ferruginous
63
Indumentum of lower surface not ferruginous
66
63
Lamina very distinctly cordate at base
40. cordatifolia
Lamina not cordate at base
64
64
Lamina (10)-15-25-(40) × 4-5-7 cm., oblong to broad-oblong to sublanceolate; sheath 5-10 × 1-2 cm., clad in conspicuous snow-white dense floccose hairs
39. traversii
Lamina and sheath not having the above dimensions and characters in combination
65
65
Lamina ± 9-12 × 2.5-3 cm., elliptic to elliptic-oblong, rather flexible; sheath ± 5 cm. long, with rather sparse inconspicuous white hairs
41. praestans
Lamina ± 10-15 × 3-5-7 cm., of oblong or broad-oblong to broad-ovate order, rigid; sheath ± 8 cm. long, edged with white ± floccose hairs
42. rigida
66
Lamina not > ± 3 cm. long
67
Lamina distinctly > 3 cm. long
68
67
Lamina (3)-5-10 mm. wide, of linear to lanceolate-oblong order
29. parva
Lamina (0·5)-0.75-1 mm. wide, of very narrow-linear order
56. alpina
68
Lamina not > c. 5 mm. wide, of very narrow-linear order
69
Lamina not < c. 10 mm. wide, not of very narrow-linear order
71
69
Lamina-margins flat or very slightly recurved
57. graminifolia
Lamina-margins strongly recurved, us. almost to midrib
70
70
Lamina quite flexible
53. gracilenta
Lamina stiff to almost rigid
55. spedenii
71
Laminae, all or most, not < 25 mm. wide; upper surface with at least some hairs, at least till submature
72
Laminae, all or most, not > 25 mm. wide, us. narrower; upper surface glab.
73
72
Lamina ± 2-3-(5) dm. × 4-8 cm.; oblong to spathulate-oblong to broadly lanceolate-oblong
37. hookeri
Lamina ± 1·5-2.5 dm. × 2.5-5 cm., elliptic- to lanceolate-oblong to ovate-elliptic
38. verbascifolia
73
Indumentum of lower surface white, rather thin; lamina-margins distinctly finely denticulate
51. adamsii
Indumentum of lower surface pale buff or fulvous, or if white then thick, lamina-margins entire, or minute teeth hidden by marginal tomentum
30. spectabilis

Many of the N.Z. spp. are rather well differentiated, e.g. C. bellidioides, C. walkeri, C. spectabilis; others show a very complex range of forms, e.g. C. discolor, C. incana, C. du-rietzii. Hybridism is frequent, and a number of hybrids, e.g. pseudo-lyallii, poppelwellii, linearis, have been described as spp. or vars. Some of these appear to be sterile F1 forms, or perhaps apomicts. It is impossible therefore, at present, to provide a key that without undue length will deal adequately with the situation. The student will often need to try both branches of a dichotomy and consult the key to the named hybrids.

Celmisia Cass. in Dict. Sci. nat. 37, 1825, 259 is conserved against Celmisia Cass. in Bull. Soc. philom., Paris 1817, 32, and Elcismia Robinson in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Sci. 49, 1913, 511. Robinson, accepting Cassini's earlier definition, makes new combinations for the spp. described by Cheeseman in the Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906. These are not further cited here. C. lechleri Sch. Bip. in Bonplandia 4, 1856, 54, from Peru, is unknown to me.

FL. (11)-12-1-(4). FT. c. 1 month after flowering.

Vegetatively the N.Z. spp. fall into three rather well marked groups, but I have not found any correlated flower or fruit characters to justify the erection of subgenera:

A. Stems and branches definitely woody, lvs imbricate along branches, sheaths long-persistent

1. Living lvs not grouped in rosulate clusters at tips of branchlets; e.g. C. lateralis

2. Living lvs grouped in rosulate clusters at tips of branchlets; e.g. C. discolor

B. Lvs arising in dense tufts from a simple to multicipital ± woody stock. Sheaths very closely imbricate, compacted into pseudo-stem; e.g. C. spectabilis

A connecting group is formed by C. bellidioides, C. thomsonii and some forms of C. parva. Stems herbaceous, much-branched, with ∞ branchlets terminated by living lvs in rosulate tufts.

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