Art. XXXIII.—Description of a new Species of Erigeron.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 17, 1884, Page 287

Art. XXXIII.—Description of a new Species of Erigeron. By J.Buchanan, F.L.S. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 13th February, 1884.] Plate XV Erigeron novæ-zealandiæ, Buch. Pl. xv A small semi-shrubby plant 7–8 inches high, whole plant viscid. Leaves very narrow imbricating linear-spathulate obscurely and distantly serrate, 1 ½-2 ½ inches long, ⅕-¼ inch broad, obtuse or acuminate, green on the upper surface, 3-nerved beneath and covered with closely appressed tomentum. Scapes 2–3, very narrow, proceeding from the axils of the upper leaves. Bracts 5–7 narrow-linear, diminishing in size upwards. Heads 1 inch diameter, involucral scales in few series, linear, very narrow, sometimes recurved. Rays long, narrow, recurved in full flower. Anthers tailless. Pappus 1/5 inch long. Achene with short rigid hairs. The semi-shrubby habit of the present plant, as also of some others described as belonging to Celmisia—namely, C. discolor, Hook. fil., and C. walkeri, Kirk, indicate—especially when this habit is associated with tailless anthers, as with the plants above named—the necessity of removing them to the genus Erigeron, where they will find a more natural alliance.

The above three plants are closely related, Celmisia walkeri, Kirk, and the present described plant, being probably only varieties of Celmisia discolor, Hook. fil. The figure on plate xv. is drawn of the natural size. Locality.—Collingwood.