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Celmisia. | COMPOSITAE. 953 
gracilentus ; but in 1844 Hooker, in a review of the then little-known genus Celmisia, 
transferred it thereto, using the same specific name. Working at the same genus in 
1860 for the “ Flora of Tasmania,” and again in 1864 for the ‘‘ Handbook of the New 
Zealand Flora,” he decided to group Celmisia gracilenta, together with several allied 
species or varieties, under the original Australian species C. longifolia Cass. This 
view was followed by Bentham in the ‘Flora Australiensis,” by T. Kirk in the 
‘Students’ Flora,’ and by myself in the first edition of this work. So the matter 
stood in 1906. Of later years much more attention has been given to Celmisia, and 
particularly to the bundle of forms included by Hooker in his conception cf C. longi- 
folia. Gradually it became evident that the differences between these forms were 
more important than had been generally admitted, and that several of them, at least, 
should be regarded as distinct species. Acting upon this conviction, in 1914 I separated 
my Celmisia Morgani from Kirk’s variety graminifolia, and indicated that this 
variety also should be restored to the rank of a species. But this change evidently 
affects the supposed connection between the Australian C. longifolia and the New 
Zealand forms placed under it by Hooker. Through the kindness of Dr. Maiden I have 
been enabled to examine specimens of C. longifolia gathered on Mount Kosciusko, in 
the Australian Alps. Without going into details for which space is lacking here, I will 
simply state that there can be no question as to the distinctness of the Australian 
plant, which differs more from the New Zealand forms than most of our species do from 
one another. 
C. gracilenta is best distinguished from its immediate allies by its very narrow- 
linear leaves, which are rounded and channelled above, and almost glabrous except 
when young; and by the strongly revolute margins, which sometimes almost reach 
the conspicuous midrib, and which are covered with white and silvery tomentum 
beneath. It has a wide range, and is particularly plentiful on the central volcanic 
plateau. 
42. ©. graminifolia Hook. f. Fl. Antarct. i (1844) 35.—Fcrming large 
grassy patches or separate tufts. Leaves 3-15 in. long including the petiolar 
part which is often quite } the length, 4-4 in. broad, thin and membranous 
or even flaccid; blade linear-elongate, gradually narrowed upwards into a 
long acuminate point and downwards into an exceedingly narrow petiole ; 
upper surface nearly glabrous when mature except a. silvery pellicle of 
matted hairs, but usually clothed with soft cottony tomentum when young ; 
margins thinly revolute ; under-surface densely clothed with thin appressed 
silvery tomentum ; petiole greenish-grey or purplish-grey, usually expanded 
at the base into a broad thin and membranous sheath. Scapes several, 
usually longer than the leaves, slender, densely clothed with white cottony 
tomentum ; bracts numerous, exceedingly narrow-linear, the upper gradually 
becoming smaller. Heads #-lin. diam.; involucral bracts narrow linear- 
subulate, glabrous or slightly cottony. Ray-florets numerous, long and 
narrow. Achene linear, grooved, glabrous.—C. gracilenta var. d Hook. f. 
Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 123. C. longifolia var. graminifolia 7. Kirk Students’ 
Fl. (1899) 289; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 314. C. setacea Col. in 
Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxi (1889) 88. eee Dre. 
Nortsu Istanp: .Auckland—Bay of Islands, Sinclair! (fide Kew Herbarium) ; 
central voleanic plateau, H. Hill. Wellington—Mount Holdsworth, Tararua Range, 
W. Townson! Soutu Istanp: Nelson—Mount Arthur Plateau, 7. F. C.; Mount 
Lockett, F. G. Gibbs! Mount Rochfort, Mount Mantell, Mount Bovis, Boundary Peak, 
W. Townson! Lake Tennyson, 7. F. C.  Otago—Garvie Mountains, J. Speden / 
Sea-level to 4500 ft. December—January. 
To my mind, this is readily distinguished from C. gracilenta by the grassy habit, 
much flatter thin and membranous leaves, with long petiolar stalks furnished with 
broad membranous sheathing bases, and by the very slender scapes. C. major is at 
once separated by the stouter habit, broader coriaceous spreading leaves, and much 
stouter scapes and larger heads. C. Morgan is its nearest ally, but can generally be 
recognized by its much larger size and broader leaves. 
