Species
Celmisia hieraciifolia var. oblonga
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
hieraciifolia: Having foliage like Hieracium (genus name from the word for hawk)
oblonga: oblong
Common Name(s)
Mountain daisy
Current Conservation Status
2018 - Data Deficient
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
2012 - Not Threatened
2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened
Authority
Celmisia hieraciifolia var. oblonga Kirk
Family
Asteraceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Native
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites
Synonyms
None
Distribution
Endemic. North and South Islands. From the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges south to North Canterbury and Westland
Habitat
Montane to subalpine in grassland, herbfield, fellfield and debris slopes.
Features
Medium tufted herb, stock usually simple, pseudo-stem ± 40 mm long. Lamina coriaceous, c.30-70 × 4-15 mm; narrow-oblong to narrow-spathulate; upper surface glabrous, sometimes slightly viscid, pale green when fresh; lower densely clad in closely appressed satiny pale yellow to buff or almost white tomentum, nerves conspicuous in lower part; obtuse, sometimes apiculate; margins crenate to finely crenate-dentate, teeth small, sparse rarely almost absent, slightly narrowed to broad grooved short petiole or directly into glabrous sheath c.20 × 10 mm Scape rather slender, 50-200 mm long, viscid with dense glandular hairs. Bracts linear to subulate, glandular-pubescent, lower up to 40 mm long. Capitula 20-40 mm diameter; involucral bracts ± 13 mm long, outer densely glandular-pubescent, linear-subulate, acute, midrib distinct, margins sometimes ± floccose. Ray-florets numerous, c.5 mm long, white, tube slender, limb narrow-linear. Disk-florets c.7 mm long, tubular to narrow-funnelform, teeth narrow-triangular. Achenes c.2-5 mm long, strongly ribbed, cylindric to subfusiform; hairs usually few, weak. Pappus-hairs white to sordid-white, slender, up to c.6 mm long, finely barbellate.
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
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Notes on taxonomy
The status of the three varieties of C. hieraciifolia needs critical investigation.
Attribution
Description adapted from Allan (1961)
References and further reading
Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I, Government Printer, Wellington.
This page last updated on 15 Aug 2014