Celmisia hieraciifolia var. hieraciifolia
Common name
mountain daisy
Synonyms
None
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
Chromosome number
2n = 108
Current conservation status
The threat classification status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – a suggested threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. North and South Islands. From the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges south to North Canterbury and Westland
Habitat
Montane to subalpine in grassland, herbfield, fellfield and debris slopes.
Features
Medium tufted herb, stock usually simple, pseudo-stem ± 40 mm long. Lamina coriaceous, c.40-120 × 10-25 mm; oblong-obovate to elliptic-oblong; upper surface glabrous, sometimes slightly viscid, pale green when fresh; lower densely clad in closely appressed satiny pale yellow to buff or almost white tomentum, nerves conspicuous in lower part; obtuse, sometimes apiculate; margins crenate to crenate-dentate, teeth usually with distinct apiculus, slightly narrowed to broad grooved short petiole or directly into glabrous sheath c.20 × 10 mm Scape rather stout, 50-250 mm long, viscid with dense glandular hairs. Bracts linear to subulate, glandular-pubescent, lower up to 40 mm long. Capitula 20-50 mm diameter; involucral bracts ± 13 mm long, outer densely glandular-pubescent, linear-subulate, acute, midrib distinct, margins sometimes ± floccose. Ray-florets numerous, c.12 mm long, white, tube slender, limb narrow-linear. Disk-florets c.7 mm long, tubular to narrow-funnelform, teeth narrow-triangular. Achenes c.5 mm long, strongly ribbed, cylindric to subfusiform; hairs usually few, weak. Pappus-hairs white to sordid-white, slender, up to c.6 mm long, finely barbellate.
Flowering
October - January
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Fruiting
November - April
Life cycle
Pappate cypselae are dispersed by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Unknown. Probably best grown from fresh seed and like many Celmisia this species will probably dislike high humidity and drying out
Etymology
celmisia: Apparently named after Kelmis, one of Idaean Dactyls, a group of skilled mythical beings associated with the Mother Goddess Rhea in Greek mythology. Kelmis, whose name means ‘casting’, was a blacksmith and childhood friend of Zeus, son of Rhea and later king of the gods. In Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’, Kelmis is described as offending Zeus who turned him into adamant so he was as hard as a tempered blade
hieraciifolia: Having foliage like Hieracium (genus name from the word for hawk)
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Notes on taxonomy
The status of the three varieties of C. hieraciifolia needs critical investigation.
Attribution
Description adapted from Allan (1961)
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I, Government Printer, Wellington.
Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 2009 Vol. 11 No. 4 pp. 285-309