A truly noble plant, probably the finest species of the genus. In its most luxuriant state it has a short stout stem which with the old leaf-sheaths is sometimes as thick as the wrist, and is crowned with numerous spreading and erect lanceolate leaves, from among which arise one or several stout scapes, bearing heads sometimes more than 3 in. diam., with long and narrow rays. This passes by almost imperceptible gradations into smaller varieties with narrower often less coriaceous leaves and smaller heads, with shorter and proportionately broader rays. It is difficult to find distinguishing characters between some of these forms and C. Monroi and other species. In cultivation it varies still more largely, and often produces branched scapes, a peculiarity quite unknown in any Celmisia in the wild state, so far as my own observations go. Some of the cultivated races appear to be permanent, and Mr. Kirk has briefly characterized the following in his "Students' Flora": (1) foliosa, with crowded foliaceous bracts sometimes 6 in. long; (2) corymbifera, with branched scapes, the heads forming an open corymb; and (3) ensata, which has ensiform leaves 8–12 in. long and ½ in. wide, and an irregularly branched scape. Mr. H. J. Matthews informs me that the last form, which has a very distinct appearance, occurs in a wild condition near Lake Harris, Otago, but I have only seen cultivated specimens.
26. C. Armstrongii, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi. (1894) 269.—Stems short, stout, with the leaf-sheaths sometimes as thick as the wrist, crowned with numerous radiating leaves. Leaves 6–18 in. long or more, ¼–¾ in. broad, linear-ensiform, gradually tapering from below the middle to the acute apex, slightly narrowed below, rigidly coriaceous, upper surface longitudmally ribbed and covered with a delicate silvery pellicle, beneath clothed with smooth and satiny appressed tomentum, except the very stout and prominent midrib; margins recurved when dry; sheaths long, broader than the blade, clothed with snow-white cottony tomentum. Scapes usually several, as long as or longer than the leaves, rather slender, white and cottony; bracts numerous, linear. Head 1–1½ in. diam.; invoiucral bracts linear-subulate, rather rigid, glabrous or cottony on the margins, tips recurved. Rays narrow. Achene linear, grooved, pubescent.—Kirk, Students' Fl. 290.
South Island: Nelson—Heaphy River, Dall! mountains near Westport, Townson! Westland—Arthur's Pass, Armstrong! Kirk! Cockayne! T.F.C.; Kelly's Hill, Petrie! 2500–4500 ft. December–January.
Distinguished from C. Lyallii by the broader perfectly straight leaves with a stout midrib and satiny appressed tomentum. From C. Monroi it is-separated by the more rigid ribbed and pointed leaves and almost glabrous heads.
27. C. Petriei, Cheesem. n. sp.—Apparently a stout tufted plant. Leaves 8–18 in. long or more, ½–¾ in. broad, dagger-shaped, narrowed into an acuminate rigid and almost pungent point, contracted just above the top of the sheath, strict, erect, rigidly coriaceous, above perfectly glabrous and when dry marked with a stout longitudinal ridge or plait on each side of the middle of the leaf, beneath clothed with silvery-white appressed satiny tomentum and with two grooves answering to the ridges of the upper surface; midrib not evident on either surface; margins conspicuously recurved towards the tip of the leaf, less so or almost
