418 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



plants, unrivalled in beauty on the mainland of New Zealand. Amongst them 

 are several species belonging to the endemic genus Pleurophyllum. The general 

 appearance of these plants is well described by Kirk.* 



Genus Celmisia. 



Herbs, aster-like, with radical, simple leaves, more or less clothed with silky 

 or cottony hairs. Stems 1-flowered. Heads large. Ray-florets white. Pappus 

 of 2 series of rigid bristles. Achene glabrous or silky. A beautiful genus of 

 which all but 2 species (C. longifolia and C. Lechleri) are endemic in New 

 Zealand. Of these, C. longifolia is found both in New Zealand and Australia,, 

 and C. Lechleri is a doubtful Peruvian species. 43 sp. 



Celmisia coriacea (The Leathery Celmisia). 



Leaves 8 in. -20 in. long, f in. -3 in. broad, acute, with deep longitudinal 

 furrows, sheathing at the base, woolly above, silvery below. Flowering-stem 

 6 in. -36 in. high. Head l in. -4 in. across ; bracts numerous, cottony. Achene 

 | in. long, hairy, compressed. Rays many, narrow, lin. long. Both islands : 

 mountainous districts. The Mountain Daisy. Fl. Dec. -March. 



Celmisia Traversii (Travers' Celmisia). 



Leaves 6 in. -16 in. long, 1 in. -2^ in. broad, oblong, obtuse, coriaceous,, 

 dark brownish green and glabrous above, rusty-red below. Scapes 8 in. -20 in. 

 Covered with a rusty-red wool. Flowers 1 in. -2 in. in diam. Mountains of 

 Nelson. Fl. Dec. -Jan. 



Celmisia longifolia (The Long-leaved Celmisia). 



Leaves 1 in. -16 in. long, ^ in.- in. broad, acute, silvery above, cottony 

 below. Head Jin.-l^in. broad, bracts often black at the tips. Achene glabrous- 

 or silky. Both islands; Stewart Island. Fl. Dec. -March. 



Celmisia vernicosa (The Varnished Celmisia). 



Leaves in rosettes, sessile, 1 in. -4 in. long, iin.-J in. broad, thick, rigid, 

 sometimes slightly serrate at the tip. Flower-stem 1 in. -8 in. high, with broad 

 bracts. Disk-florets purple, rays white. Achene roughly hairy. Very shining 

 in all its parts. Auckland and Campbell Islands. Fl. Nov.-Dec. 



Closely allied to the genus Olearia, and differing from it 

 chiefly in habit, is the genus Celmisia. There are some forty 

 species in New Zealand, which, with one exception, are all 

 endemic. The flowers are white, daisy-like, and often very 

 beautiful. Most of the species are found in sub-alpine regions, 

 and hence are termed by the settlers, Mountain Daisies. The 

 leaves are frequently set in a rosette, and are often stiff 



*Eeport of the Australasian Association, 1891, p. 220. 



