PLATE 90.—OLEARIA MOSCHATA. 
Famity COMPOSIT. | [Genus OLEARIA, Mancu. 
Olearia moschata, Hook. /. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 127; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 289. 
Olearia moschata was originally discovered by Sir Julius von Haast in the 
year 1862, during his adventurous first visit to the headwaters of the Waitaki 
River, including in that term the various streams, of which the Godley, the 
Tasman, and the Ohau are the chief, which flow into Lakes Tekapo, Pukaki, 
and Ohau, and which have as their sources the largest and most extensive 
glaciers and snowfields in New Zealand. It was during this expedition that 
the first topographical and geological examination of the “Heart of the 
Southern Alps”? was made, and some knowledge obtained of its rich and 
varied alpine vegetation. Two years alterwards the plant was observed by 
Mr. Buchanan in the Lake district of Otago, and since then it has been gathered 
by many observers in the central chain of the Southern Alps, from Arthur’s Pass 
southwards to Lake Te Anau, at altitudes ranging from 2,000 ft. to 4,500 ft. On 
the eastern side of the Alps, however, it seldom occurs far from the central divide ; 
or, in other words, it prefers the region of abundant westerly rains. 
Olearia moschata is perhaps nowhere more abundant than in the Mount Cook 
district, where I have had repeated opportunities of observing it, and where it often 
constitutes an important part of the subalpine scrub, especially on old lateral 
moraines, or on the lower slopes of the mountains which everywhere steeply rise 
from the valleys. It usually forms a densely branched shrub from 3 ft. to 6 ft. 
in height, rarely more, and can be distinguished at once by its pale greyish-green 
colour, which offers a striking contrast to the majority of the shrubs which are 
usually associated with it. Tt is easily separated from its immediate allies by 
its small obovate leaves, pale tomentum, and broad many-flowered heads; in 
fact, I do not know any species with which it could be confounded. The 
strong musky fragrance of the leaves is very noticeable, especially after a spell 
of hot and dry weather; but a somewhat similar fragrance is found in other 
species of the genus. 
Piate 90. Olearia moschata, drawn from specimens collected in the Hooker Valley, Mount Cook 
district, at an altitude of 3,000 ft. Fig. 1, flower-head (x 3); 2 and 3, bracts of the involucre (x 6) : 
4, floret of the ray (x 4); 5 and 6, florets of the dise (x 4); 7, pappus-hair (x 8); 8, anthers (x 8) : 
9, style-arms (x 8). 
