Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Asterales Link
Family
Compositae Giseke
Genus
Helichrysum Mill.
 Subordinate Taxa
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Helichrysum simpsonii Kottaim., Phytotaxa 597: 193 (2023)
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson, Trans. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 75: 201 (1945) nom. illeg., non Helichrysum intermedium Less. 1832
Type: New Zealand. G. Simpson s.n. (holotype CHR 76018)
  • = Helichrysum selago var. intermedium (G.Simpson) Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 720 (1961)
  • = Helichrysum intermedium var. humile G.Simpson, Trans. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 79: 433 (1952)
  • = Helichrysum selago sensu Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 719 (1961) var. selago
Etymology:
The specific epithet honours George Simpson (1880–1952), discoverer of the species.
 Description

Erect or ascending, much-branched shrub, up to c. 30 cm tall; branchlets obscured by persistent, imbricate, appressed lvs and tomentum, 2–4 mm diam. (including lvs). Lvs glabrous on lower, outer surface, densely white-tomentose on upper, inner surface, apetiolate, ovate to oblong-triangular, involute, obtuse to acute or acuminate, cucullate, (2)–2.5–4 × 1–2 mm. Lvs of seedlings and reversion shoots spreading, densely tomentose on both surfaces or only on upper. Capitula 3–7 mm diam., solitary, sessile. Middle involucral bracts usually glabrous, sometimes hairy on lamina, oblong, obtuse to acute, not or slightly radiating, membranous, with pale and usually translucent, rarely whitish lamina, and opaque stereome, 3–4–(6) mm long. Disc pale or bright yellow. Achenes with short appressed hairs, cylindric, slightly angled or compressed, c. 1 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4. as Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
Number of subspecific taxa in New Zealand within Helichrysum simpsonii Kottaim.
CategoryNumber
Indigenous (Endemic)2
Total2
 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Blanchon, D.J. 2023: New combinations in Helichrysum simpsonii Kottaim. for the taxa described as H. selago var. acutum Cheeseman and H. selago var. tumidum Cheeseman (Asteraceae) from Aotearoa / New Zealand. Ukrainian Botanical Journal 80(4): 301–305.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [as Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson] [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [as Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson] [Not Threatened]
Kottaimuthum R. 2023: Helichrysum simpsonii, a replacement name for Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson (Asteraceae). Phytotaxa 597(2): 193–194.
Simpson, G. 1945: Notes on Some New Zealand Plants and Descriptions of New Species (No. 4). Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 75: 187–202.
Simpson, G. 1952: Notes on some New Zealand plants and descriptions of new species (No. 5). Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 79: 419–435.
Ward, J.M.; Breitwieser, I. 1998: Systematics of New Zealand Inuleae (Compositae) — 4. A taxonomic review. New Zealand Journal of Botany 36(2): 165–171. [as Helichrysum intermedium G.Simpson]