Celmisia lateralis
Common name
shrub daisy
Synonyms
None
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
CELLAT
Chromosome number
2n = 108
Current conservation status
The conservation 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). 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.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. South Island: North-West Nelson to North Westland (Paparoa Range).
Habitat
Upper montane to subalpine. In rocky places, grassland, herbfield and fellfield
Features
Prostrate or scrambling subshrub up to 300 × 100 mm, with slender branched stems up to 400 mm long; branchlets usually close-set. Leaves numerous, densely imbricate, ascending, incurved at tips but becoming reflexed. Lamina 6.0-12.0 × 1.0-1•5 mm; linear, grading into sheath, coriaceous; upper surface glabrous, ± glandular; lower surface similar; apex acuminate to obtuse; ± glandular-pubescent; sheath 2-3 mm long, membranous, with a few ± appressed hairs at base. Scape slender, 40-80 mm long, glandular-pubescent, with or without floccose hairs; bracts similar to leaves, up to 10 mm long. Capitula 10-20 mm diameter; involucral bracts 2-seriate, subulate-lanceolate to narrow-oblong, acute, up to 8 mm long, glandular, hairs ± floccose. Ray-florets c.10 mm long, white, linear, abruptly expanded towards 3-5-toothed apex; disk-florets tubular, slightly > pappus. Achenes narrow-cylindric, compressed, 2-3 mm long, ribs with long ascending hairs. Pappus-hairs sordid-white, very slender to filiform, finely barbellate, up to c.5 mm long
Similar taxa
One of a small group of subshrub Celmisia which includes C. brevifolia, C. gibbsii, C. rupestris, C. ramulosa and C. walkeri. From these species C. lateralis is distinguished by more or less viscid leaves whose undersides are nearly glabrous or completely so.
Flowering
November - March
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Fruiting
December - May
Life cycle
Pappate cypselae are dispersed by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Difficult. Best grown from fresh seed but can be grown from cuttings. Should be planted in a free draining, moist soil. Excellent in a pot in an alpine house, or planted in a south-facing rockery. Dislikes humidity and will not tolerate 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
Where To Buy
Occasionally available from specialist native plant nurseries.
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