Brachycome. | COMPOSITA. 277 
5. B. Thomsoni, 7. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 372, 
t. 27.—Rhizome stout, creeping, branched. Stems 3-12 in. long, 
stout, branched from the base, decumbent or ascending, densely 
slandular-pubescent, as are the leaves, scapes, and involueres. 
Leaves numerous, radical and cauline, 1-2in. long, oblong- or 
obovate-spathulate, obtuse, narrowed into a very broad flat petiole, 
coarsely bluntly toothed or lobed or almost pinnatifid. Peduncles 
terminating the branches, 3-6in. long or more, stout, somewhat 
rigid, naked or with a solitary linear bract. Heads about 4 in. 
diam. ; involucral bracts oblong or oblong-ovate, obtuse, with purple 
tips. Ray-florets usually numerous, but sometimes wanting in re- 
duced states; rays white, spreading. Achenes_linear-clavate, 
densely glandular-pubescent ; margins thickened. Pappus of minute 
bristly seales.—Students’ Fl. 260. 
Var. membranifolia, Kirk, l.c. 261.—More slender and less branched, 
and not so glandular. Leaves 1-3in. long, membranous; petioles longer and 
more slender. 
Var. polita, Cheesem.—Usually glabrous, except the peduncles. Stems 
very slender, simple or sparingly branched, leafy at the base. Leaves 1-3 in., 
very thin and membranous. MHeads rather smaller.—B. polita, Kirk, Students’ 
Fl, 261. 
South Istanp: Otago—Cape Whanbrow, Kirk! Petrie! near Green 
Island, Petrie. Stewart IstAanD: Common on the coast, G. M. Thomson! 
Petrie! Kirk! Var. membranifolia: Mount Arthur Plateau, Nelson, 7. F. C. 
Var. polita: Arthur’s Pass, Kirk! Cockayne ! Sea-level to 4000 ft. De- 
cember—January. 
A very variable plant, only separated from B, odorata by the much larger 
size and coarser habit and larger heads. It has the same strong fragrance. 
4. OLEARIA, Mench. 
Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite or fascicled, 
usually with white or buff tomentum beneath. Heads large or 
small, solitary or corymbose or paniculate, radiate or rarely discoid. 
Involuere broad or narrow; bracts imbricated in several rows, 
margins dry or scarious. Receptacle flat or convex, pitted. Florets 
few or many, rarely solitary; ray-florets female, in a single row, 
usually ligulate, spreading, rarely slender and filiform or altogether 
wanting ; disc-florets hermaphrodite, tubular, 5-lobed. Anthers. 
often acute at the base or with minute tails, rarely obtuse. Style- 
branches flattened, with short obtuse or rarely lanceolate append- 
ages. Pappus of one or more rows of unequal seabrid bristles, 
often thickened at the tips. Achenes ribbed or striate, terete or 
slightly compressed. 
In addition to the 35 species found in New Zealand, all of which are 
endemic, there are about 70 others, confined to Australia and Tasmania with 
the exception of 2 recorded from Lord Howe’s Island. The genus is very closely 
allied to Aster, with which the late Baron von Mueller proposed to unite it, to- 
gether with Celmisia and several other genera. 
