The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Celmisia densiflora

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
densiflora: densely flowered

Common Name(s)

mountain 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 densiflora Hook.f.

Family

Asteraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

CELDEN

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic. South Island: From southern Marlborough and North Canterbury south to northern Southland

Habitat

Montane to subalpine. Inhabiting grassland, herbfield, fell-field and open subalpine shrubland

Features

Tufted herb with stout woody simple or sparingly branched stock; leaf-sheaths densely imbricating, forming a pseudo-stem. Lamina coriaceous, narrow- to narrowly obovate-oblong, ± 60-150 × 15-40 mm, obtuse or subacute; upper surface glabrous or nearly so; lower densely clad in appressed white satiny tomentum; both with evident midrib; margins very slightly recurved, bluntly (sometimes apiculately) crenate-sinuate, narrowed to petiole of diverse dimensions; sheath strongly ribbed, glabrous or very nearly so, c.50 × 10 mm. Scape ± 150-400 mm long, glabrous, glandular-viscid, purplish, stout; bracts linear, lamina ± 25-40 mm long, apiculate, clad below in white satiny tomentum. Capitula 25-40 mm diameter; involucral bracts numerous, linear-subulate, glabrous, viscid, up to c.15 mm long, apex hairy. Ray-florets c.15-20 mm long, narrow; disk-florets 7-8 mm long, funnelform, teeth narrow-triangular, c.1 mm long. Achenes compressed-cylindric, c.6 mm long, strongly grooved, with appressed silky hairs on ribs. Pappus-hairs slender, up to c. 6 mm long, white to sordid-white, barbellate

Similar Taxa

Allan (1961) aligned this species with Celmisia parva from which he distinguished it by the larger leaves (60-150 x 15-40 mm cf. < 60 x15 mm in C. parva) which are conspicuously rather than minutely toothed. However, the late A. P. Druce regarded C. densiflora and C. prorepens as the same species. Further study into the status of this species pair, as indeed the taxonomic status of all Celmisia is urgently needed.

Flowering

November - January

Flower Colours

White,Yellow

Fruiting

December - April

Propagation Technique

Easily grown in a shaded site, planted within a permanently moist, free draining, acidic soil. Dislikes humidity and will not tolerate drying out. Best grown from fresh seed which should be sown immediately or stratified in a fridge or freezer for 1-3 months

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 108

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 15 Aug 2014