PuatE 105.—HELICHRYSUM GRANDICEPS. 
Famity COMPOSIT 4. ] [Genus HELICHRYSUM, Var. 
Helichrysum grandiceps, Hook. /. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 154; Cheesem. Man. N.Z, Fl. 341. 
Helichrysum grandiceps and its near ally H. Leontopodium constitute a 
very distinct and noteworthy section of the genus Helichrysum, in external 
aspect closely resembling the well-known edelweiss of the Swiss Alps (Leontopodium 
alpinum). Sir J. D. Hooker was so greatly impressed by this resemblance 
that he used the name of Leontopodiwm as the specific title of one of the 
New Zealand plants; and Mr. Bentham, when forming a separate section for 
the two species, bestowed upon it the name of Leontopodioides (“ Genera 
Plantarum,” ii, 311). But the likeness to Leontopodium is purely superficial, 
for that genus differs altogether in the heads being more or less unisexual 
or even strictly dicecious, and in the hermaphrodite florets being all sterile, 
with undivided styles—characters quite unknown in either H. grandiceps or 
H. Leontopodium. M. Beauverd, to whose researches: on the New Zealand 
Composite I have alluded under the genus Raoulia, considers that the two 
species are sufficiently distinct from Helichrysum to form a separate genus, to 
which he gives the name of Leucogenes (a paraphrase of the German edelweiss). 
He holds that it is well distinguished from Helichrysum by the broad spreading 
floral leaves, which are quite of a different type to the cauline leaves, by 
the hirsute achenes, and by the stout pappus-hairs, papillose above, but 
naked at the base, and not scabrid or pectinate as is usual in Helichrysum. 
If M. Beauverd’s views are accepted, our plant will in future bear the name 
of Leucogenes grandiceps. 
H. grandiceps was first gathered by Sir Julius von Haast and Dr. Sinclair in 
the Rangitata district in the early part of 1861. As the exploration of the 
Southern Alps progressed it was found to be of fairly general occurrence both 
on the eastern and western sides of the watershed. The most northern station 
known to me is on the Raglan Mountains, Nelson, but it probably exists on 
some of the higher peaks of the Dun Mountain Range. Although not 
uncommon in the alpine districts of southern Canterbury, it is apparently 
scarce in Otago. Mr. Petrie states (Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii (1896), 563) that it 
is “rather rare on the mountains of the north and west.” Mr. H. J. Matthews 
collected it between Lake Te Anau and Milford Sound, and it has recently 
been gathered by Mr. Crosby Smith on the Princess Mountains, near Lake 
Hauroto. It attains its southern limit in Stewart Island, where, however, it 
appears to be confined to two or three of the higher peaks. As to its 
altitudinal range, I have seen it below 2,500 ft. in the Mount Cook district, 
where it also ascends to 5,500 ft. 
Helichrysum Leontopodium, which represents H. grandiceps in the north of 
Nelson and on the higher mountains of the North Island, is the only species 
which can be said to be closely allied. But it can be easily distinguished 
from our plant by the numerous persistent basal leaves, which often form 
rosettes, and by the longer and more erect cauline leaves. But the difference 
between the two species can be better understood by comparing the beautiful 
photograph of H. Leontopodium given in Mr, Aston’s “ Botanical Notes of a 
