Celmisia thomsonii
Common name
Thomson’s Mountain 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.
CELTHO
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: OL
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Endemic. South Island: Eyre Mountains
Habitat
Subalpine to alpine. Confined to valley heads where it grows on shaded cliff faces in rock-crevices.
Features
Stems rather stout, hard, closely branched; living leaves forming dense flat rosettes at tips of branchlets. Lamina ± 10-15 × 3-5 mm, obovate-to narrow-oblong, obtuse, sometimes apiculate, coriaceous; upper surface dull green, ± plicate, ± setulose; lower setulose, glabrous or with scattered hairs, sts forming a distinct pellicle, midrib distinct; margins minutely irregularly denticulate towards apex, cuneately narrowed into petiole c.3 mm long, then expanded into short sheath. Scape slender, glandular-pubescent, ± 40-70 mm long; bracts linear-oblong, up to 10 mm long. Capitula 15-20 mm. diameter; involucral bracts narrowly lanceolate to oblong, up to c.10 mm long. Ray-florets numerous, white or pink, slender, ± 15 mm long, with pilose tube and long linear limb; disk-florets funnelform, 5-6 mm long, teeth narrow-triangular. Achenes cylindric, 2.5-3.0 mm long, densely clad on strong ribs in long ascending silky hairs. Pappus-hairs white, up to c. 5 mm long, barbellate.
Similar taxa
Most similar to the widespread Celmisia bellidioides from which it is easily distinguished by its dull rather glossy upper leaf surfaces and white to pink rather than uniformly white ray-florets. Celmisia thomsonii is ecologically distinct from C. bellidioides favouring very steep, fractured, shaded cliff faces, while C. bellidioides prefers wet rocky and gravelly places along gorges, near streamsides and in and around waterfalls.
Flowering
November - January
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Fruiting
December - March
Life cycle
Pappate cypselae are dispersed by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Unknown. Probably easy from fresh seed that has been cold treated. However, like many Celmisia probably difficult to maintain in warm or humid climates.
Threats
A Naturally Uncommon, narrow range endemic which though extremely localised is common in its few known localities and under no obvious human induced threats.
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
thomsonii: After Thomson
Where To Buy
Not Commercially available.
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 11: 285-309