PLATE 91.—-OLEARIA VIRGATA. 
Famity COMPOSIT. | [Genus OLEARIA, Mancu. 
Olearia virgata, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 128; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 294. 
According to the “Flora Nove Zelandie,” the first specimens of this 
species were obtained by Mr. Colenso in “ Bogs in the Wairarapa”; and it 
was shortly afterwards gathered by Mr. Bidwill in the Wairau Valley, Nelson. 
From this material the plant was described by Hooker under the name of 
Eurybia virgata. But in the “ Handbook” Hooker abandoned HLurybia as a distinct 
genus, transferring the whole of the species to Olearia, our plant thus becoming 
O. virgata. It was quickly found to have an extensive range in the South 
Island, and is now known to extend beyond it into Stewart Island. In the 
North Island its distribution is not so general. It is, however, fairly plentiful 
on the eastern side of the Wellington Provincial District, and in Hawke’s Bay, 
especially towards the base of the Ruahine Range. It occurs in several localities 
on the central volcanic plateau, and is found on the shingly beds of some of 
the rivers flowing from it into the Manawatu Bight. It has been gathered 
near Rotorua, and still further to the north there is an outlying locality near 
Waikino, in the Ohinemuri Valley. 
O. virgata belongs to a peculiar section of the genus, all the species of 
which agree in having small narrow leaves arranged in opposite fascicles, and an 
inflorescence composed of few-flowered fascicles on short arrested branchlets. 
Five or six species are known, but all are very variable, and their distinguishing 
characters are by no means well ascertained. 0. virgata is perhaps best separated 
by the linear-obovate leaves with white tomentum beneath, the solitary or 
fascicled heads, and the florets usually numbering from 5 to 12. O. Solandri 
has yellowish viscid tomentum on the branchlets and leaves beneath, solitary 
heads, and more numerous florets. O. laxiflora (an imperfectly known species) 
is said to have many flowered fascicles with slender pedicels; while O. odorata 
has a viscid and glandular involucre, and numerous florets. The whole of the 
species have much of the habit, foliage, and divaricating branches of some 
Coprosmas, and at a little distance might easily be referred to that genus. 
PuatE 91. Olearia virgata, drawn from specimens collected in the Tasman Valley, Mount Cook 
district, at an altitude of 2,500 ft. Fig. 1, bract from the involucre (x 8); 2, flower-head (x 4) ; 
3, floret of the ray (x 6); 4, disc-floret (x 6); 5, pappus-hairs (x 8); 6, anthers (x8); 7, style- 
arms (x 8). 
