Helichrysum simpsonii
Synonyms
Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson, Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson var. intermedium, Helichrysum intermedium var. humile G.Simpson
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
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.
HELINT
Chromosome number
2n = 28
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
Brief description
Low growing masses of green and white stems inhabiting open areas of western Otago mountains. Stems 2-3mm wide. Leaves scale-like, variable in shape, green, embedded in whiteish fuzz. Flowers yellowish, in tight cluster at tip of stems.
Flower colours
White, Yellow
Etymology
helichrysum: From the Greek words helios ‘sun’ and chrysos ‘gold’, referring to the colour of the flowers of some species
TAXONOMIC NOTES
Helichrysum simpsonii Kottaim. is a replacement name (nomen novum) for H. intermedium G.Simpson. Helichrysum intermedium Simpson is an illegitimate name because it is a later homonym of H. intermedium Lessing (1832: 295), a species which was described from Cape of Good Hope of Africa. For this reason Kottaimuthu (2023) published H. simpsonii as a new name for the New Zealand plant.
References and further reading
Kottaimuthu, R. 2023: Helichrysum simpsonii, a replacement name for Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson (Asteraceae). Phytotaxa 597(2): 193-194. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.597.2.9