The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Celmisia angustifolia

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
angustifolia: narrow-leaved

Common Name(s)

strap-leaved daisy

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Celmisia angustifolia Cockayne

Family

Asteraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CELANG

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. South Island: Easterly from south Marlborough to Otago

Habitat

Montane to alpine in grassland, fell field and at the base of stable talus and scree slopes

Features

Small subshrub with woody, often multicipital, stock; branches close-set, clad in persistent, imbricate leaf-remnants; living leaves rosulate at tips of branchlets. Lamina coriaceous, not or only slightly viscid, 25-50 × 2-6 mm, linear to linear-spathulate; upper surface clad in thin ± deciduous pellicle; lower in appressed somewhat soft to satiny white tomentum; midrib pale, usually evident; apex obtuse to subacute; margins entire or minutely denticulate. Base suddenly expanded into sheath ± 15 × 5-6 mm, glabrous, transculent, longitudinal veins fine. Scape slender, viscid, up to c. 150 mm long; bracts linear-subulate, remote, lower with lamina c.20 mm long. Capitula 20-40 mm diameter. Involucral bracts c.10 mm. long, linear-lanceolate, indurated towards base and pale brown, with very prominent midrib; upper half thin, floccose on margins and ± viscid. Ray-florets c.16 mm long, white, linear, ± glandular, limb much recurved when dry, apex 3-4-toothed. Disk-florets c.6 mm long, very narrow-funnelform, teeth c.1 mm long, ovate-triangular. Achenes c.3 mm long, cylindric, ribs densely clad in rather long ascending silky hairs. Pappus-hairs up to c.5 mm long, white, slender, very finely barbellate.

Similar Taxa

Allied to Celmisia viscosa from which it differs by the scarcely ribbed, smaller leaves (25-50 × 2-6 mm cf. 60-150 × 6-9 mm) which are not or only slightly viscid.

Flowering

October - January

Flower Colours

White,Yellow

Fruiting

November - April

Propagation Technique

Unknown. Probably best grown from fresh seed and like many Celmisia this species will probably dislike high humidity and drying out

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 108

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Pappate cypselae are dispersed by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).

This page last updated on 23 Sep 2014