Helichrysum.] SXXIX. COMPOSITAE. 309 



appressed cottony tomentum. Heads Jin. in diameter, on terminal bracteate 



cottony peduncles lin.— 5in. long ; receptacle convex ; involucral bracts in many 



series, white, radiating, with scarious tomentose claws. Female florets few. 



Achene glabrous. Pappus-hairs slender. — Gnaphalium bellidioides , Hook, f., 



Fl. N.Z. i. 137 ; Handbk. 153. Xeranthemum bellidioides, G. Forst., Prod. 



n. 293. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands : chiefly in mountain districts from the East Cape to Poveaux 

 Strait. CHATHAM Islands; STEWART Island; AUCKLAND and CAMPBELL Islands ; ANTI- 

 PODES Island. T. K. Sea-level to 5,000ft. Nov. to Feb. 



Var. erectum. Stem erect or suberect, rather stout. Leaves linear-lanceolate, spathulate, 

 acute, coriaceous. Peduncles very short and stout. SOUTH Island ; Dun Mountain, P. Lawson I 



Var. prostratum Stems shorter than in the type, spreading, irregularly branched. Leaves 

 similar. Heads sessile at the tips of the branches. Receptacle usually conical. — Helichrysum 

 prostratum, Hook, f., PI. Antaro. 30, t. 21. Gnaphalium prostratum. Hook, f., PI. N.Z. i. 137; 

 Handbk. 152. NORTH Island : local. Titiokura, GoUnso. Mount Egmont, Dieffenbach. SOUTH 

 Island: Broken River basin, T. K. Dunedin, Petrie I AUCKLAND and CAMPBELL Islands, 

 Hooker and others. 



A gradual transition may be traced from forms with sessile heads to those on slender elongate 

 peduncles, but the conical receptacle appears to be peculiar to var. prostratum. 



2. H. Purdiei, Petrie in Trans. N.Z.I, xxii. (1889) 440. Stems lft.-2ft. 

 long, very slender, wiry, prostrate, woody, spreading, much branched. Leaves 

 rather distant, Jin.— Jin. long, broadly obovate-spathulate, mostly rounded at 

 the apex and minutely apiculate, pubescent or glabrate above, clothed with laxly- 

 appressed whitish tomentum beneath. Heads in 3— 7-flowered terminal cymes 

 or corymbs. Peduncles and pedicels very short, cottony. Involucral bracts 

 numerous, scarious, the outer very short, obtuse, tomentose ; inner with white 

 radiating tips, much shorter than the scarious claw. Female florets few. Disk- 

 florets numerous. Achene glabrous. Pappus-hairs barbellate, cohering at the 

 base. 



SOUTH Island : Dunedin Harbour, Petrie I Aston I 



Easily recognised by the ovoid heads and short radiating tips of the involucral bracts. 



3. H. filicaule, Hook. /., Fl. N.Z. i. 140, t. 36b. Stems simple, rarely 



branched, very slender, filiform, cottony, 3in.— 9in. high. Leaves Jin.— Jin. 



long, distant, obovate-oblong or lanceolate, obtuse or apiculate, glabrous 



glabrate or loosely cottony above, white with cottony tomentum beneath. 



Heads terminal, solitary, Jin.— Jin. in diameter; involucral bracts in 4 series, 



scarious, linear-lanceolate, acute, the outer tomentose or cottony at the base. 



Female florets few. Receptacle narrow, convex. Achene puberulous or slightly 



papillose. Pappus-hairs very fine and delicate. — Gnaphalium filiforme, Hook, f., 



Handbk. 153. Conyza unifiora, Banks and Sol. MSS. and Icon. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands: from Roborua to Poveaux Strait. CHATHAM Islands; 

 STEWART Island. Sea-level to fully 4,000ft., chiefly in dry grassy places. Dec. to March. 



4. H. Sinclairii, Hook, f., Handbk. 153. "A small subalpine species. 

 Stems and branches ascending, leafy, 2in.-4in. high. Leaves close-set, spread- 

 ing, Jin.-Jin. long, Jin. broad, linear-oblong or obovate-spathulate, obtuse, 



