Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Asterales Link
Family
Compositae Giseke
Genus
Celmisia Cass.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Celmisia sessiliflora Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 135 (1864)
Synonymy:
  • = Celmisia sessiliflora var. pedunculata Kirk, Stud. Fl. New Zealand 292 (1899)
  • = Celmisia sessiliflora var. exigua G.Simpson & J.S.Thomson, Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. New Zealand 73: 169 (1943)
Vernacular Name(s):
White cushion mountain daisy
 Description

Robust densely branched subshrub up to 10 cm. tall; branchlets close-set, densely clad in imbricate lvs forming compacted rosettes; plant often forming dense patches up to c. 1 m. diam. Lvs erect, becoming reflexed, sheaths persistent. Lamina 10–15–20–(30) × 1·5–2–(3) mm., linear to linear-subulate, coriac., rather rigid; both surfaces densely clad in short appressed white matted hairs; apex obtuse to sub-acute, sts subcucullate, sts apiculate; slightly narrowed at base to pale membr. sheath ± = lamina, ± clad in deciduous matted hairs. Scape reduced to minute stalk densely clad in floccose hairs, sts elongating to c. 5 cm. at fruiting stage and then hairs sparse or absent, ebracteate. Capitula 10–20 mm. diam. or more, at first at least closely subtended by lvs; phyll. pale, slender, linear-subulate, up to c. 12 mm. long, ± scarious, pilose (hairs long-persistent at apex). Ray-florets c. 15–17 mm. long, linear, slightly expanded at tips; disk-florets c. 8 mm. long, narrow-funnelform, flaring at 5-toothed apex. Achenes 3–4 mm. long, cylindric-compressed; hairs on rather obscure ribs short, rather stiff. Pappus us. white; hairs up to 9 mm. long, minutely barbellate.

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
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. [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. [Not Threatened]
Hooker, J.D. 1864: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, Campbell's and Macquarie's Islands. Part I. Reeve, London.
Kirk,T. 1899: The Students' Flora of New Zealand and the Outlying Islands. Government Printer, Wellington, N.Z.
Simpson, G.; Thomson, J.S. 1943: Notes on some New Zealand plants and descriptions of new species. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 73: 155–171.