8. HAASTIA, Hook. f.
Densely or laxly tufted perennial herbs, often forming large rounded or amorphous masses in alpine localities; root stout, branched, often very long; branches hard and woody, altogether concealed by the persistent leaves. Heads large, solitary at the tips of the branches, sessile and sunk among the uppermost leaves. Involucre hemispherical or broadly campanulate; bracts in about two series, linear, with scarious tips, the inner usually narrower, almost glabrous, the outer broader, densely woolly. Receptacle flat, papillose. Outer florets numerous, female, in 2 or several series; corolla very short, slender, narrow-tubular, minutely 5-toothed; style-branches long, far-exserted. Disc-florets numerous, hermaphrodite, funnel-shaped, 5-toothed; style-branches not so long. Achene linear-oblong, glabrous, subterete, smooth or obscurely grooved. Pappus-hairs of one series of numerous rather rigid bristles, thickened at the tips.
A very remarkable and distinct genus, confined to New Zealand.
| Forming compact pulvinate masses. Leaves most densely imbricate, broadly obcuneate, crenulate at the tip | 1. H. pulvinaris. |
| Laxly branched, rufous or fulvous. Leaves loosely imbricated, obovate-spathulate, sharply recurved. Heads ½–¾ in. | 2. H. recurva. |
| Laxly branched, whitish or pale fulvous. Leaves loosely imbricated, oblong-obovate, flat, suberect. Heads ¾–1¼ in. | 3. H. Sinclairii. |
| Small, densely tufted, fulvous. Leaves densely imbricated, obovate-cuneate, clothed with long straight hairs | 4. H. Greenii. |
1. H. pulvinaris, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 156.—Forming large rounded or amorphous cushion-like masses 3–6 ft. diam. or more. Root long, stout, branched. Branches numerous, densely compacted, with the persistent leaves ¾ in. diam. Leaves spreading, most closely imbricated, thickly clothed with pale fulvous wool, especially towards the tips, ⅓–½ in. long, broadly obcuneate, gradually narrowed to a broad sessile base, membranous below, tip thickened and provided on the upper surface with numerous fleshy projections, giving it a crenulate appearance, 3-veined when the wool is removed, veins anastomosing above. Head ⅓ in. diam.; involucral bracts in 1–2 series, narrow-linear, free. Achene linear-oblong, glabrous, not ribbed. Pappus-hairs free at the base.—Ic. Plant. t. 1003; Kirk, Students' Fl. 295.
South Island: Nelson—Summit of Gordon's Nob, T. F. C.; mountains above the Wairau Gorge, Sinclair, T. F. C.; Discovery Peaks, Travers; Mount Captain, Kirk! T. F. C.; Lake Tennyson, T. F. C. Marlborough—Mount Mouatt, Awatere, Sinclair, Kirk! Kaikoura Mountains, Buchanan ! 4000–6500 ft. Vegetable sheep. December–January.
One of the most remarkable plants known. The branches are everywhere covered and altogether concealed by the densely imbricated woolly leaves, and are so closely compacted that it is impossible to thrust the finger in between. In
