Gnaphalium.] xxxix. compositae. 299 



5. G. Traversii, Hook, f., Handbk. 154. Perennial, tufted, lin.-3in. 



high. Leaves radical, linear-spathulate or linear-obovate, ^in.— 2in. long, 



clothed on both surfaces with white cottony wool ; petiole long or short. 



Scapes erect, simple, with 1 or more linear bracts. Head solitary, terminal ; 



involucre broadly ovoid ; involucral bracts in 3 series, linear, hyaline, the outer 



cottony at the base, brown or brownish-red, mostly obtuse, the inner pale. 



Female florets numerous ; hermaphrodite few. Achene glabrous or puberulous. 



Pappus-hairs cohering at the base, very fine. — Benth., Pi. Austr. iii. 655 ; 



P. Muell., 2 Syst. Gens. Austr. PL 134. 



Var. McKayl. Tufted, branched from the base, Jin.-lin. high. Leaves laxly imbricate, 

 spreading, obovate or linear-obovate, white with laxly - appressed tomentum on both surfaces, 

 minutely apioulate. Heads small, solitary, sessile or on very short scapes ; involucral bracts few, 

 the outer obtuse, the inner acute. — Raoulia McKayi, Buoh. in Trans. N.Z.I, xiv. 354, t. 34. 



SOUTH Island : not unfrequent in the mountains from Marlborough and Nelson to South- 

 land ; 1,000ft. to 5,000ft. Jan., Feb. Also in Australia. 



Best distinguished by the rather large solitary head and almost silvery tomentum. 



6. G. paludosum, Petrie in Trans. N.Z.I, xxii. (1889) 441. Solitary or 

 tufted, lin.— 2in. high. Leaves all radical, Jin.— IJin. long, narrow linear- 

 spathulate ; blade rather shorter than the petiole, subacute or acute, glabrous or 

 glabrate above, white with appressed tomentum beneath ; midrib prominent ; 

 margins flat or slightly recurved. Scapes few, cottony, capillary, equalling the 

 leaves during anthesis, but elongating to two or three times their length in 

 fruit; bracts few, small. Head terminal, solitary; involucre ^in.— ^^in. in 

 diameter ; involucral bracts few, the outer cottony, the inner glabrous, linear- 

 subulate, dark at the tips, scarious. Female florets very numerous. Achene 

 clavate, compressed, pilose. Pappus-hairs very fine, coherent at the base. 



NORTH Island: chiefly in swamps. Rangipo Plain and Euahine Mountains, Peirie .' SOUTH 

 Island : Arthur's Pass, Canterbury, T. K. Otago : Maniototo Plain, Dunstan Mountains, Rook and 

 Pillar Range, Hector Mountains, Petrie ! 1,000ft. to 4,000ft. Jan. 



Probably common, but easily overlooked, from its small size and inconspicuous appearance. 



7. G. minutulum, Col. in. Trans. N.Z.I, xxii. (1889) 473. Rootlets 

 long, wiry. Leaves 6—10, all radical, linear-filiform, Jin.— fin. long, j^™- broad, 

 obtuse, glabrous above, white and cottony beneath ; margins incurved. Scape 

 solitary, fin.— lin. long, slender, almost setaceous, finely cottony with 1—2 

 acuminate bracts. Head solitary, terminal, 2J lines in diameter; involucral 

 bracts about 10, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, scarious, glabrous. Achene 2^5in. 

 long, terete, slightly papillose. Pappus-hairs scabrid below, obtuse. 



NORTH Island : boggy ground hear eastern base of Tongariro, Sill. 



This plant may be a state of G. paludosum, Petrie, described in the same volume of Trans. 

 N.Z.I., but not having seen specimens I am unable to determine the point. 



8. G. nitidulum, Hook. /., Handbk. 154. " A small densely-tufted species, 

 covered with appressed silky shining yellowish tomentum. Leaves closely 

 imbricated at their bases, above spreading, flat, Jin. long, linear, obtuse ; lower 

 one-third membranous, glabrous, upper two-thirds densely silky. Heads terminal, 

 solitary, large, Jin. broad, on very short slender peduncles ; involucral scales in 



31* 



