Celmisia spedeni G. Simpson and Celmisia thomsoni Cheeseman - Two Rediscovered Species

Abstract

Two species of Celmisia, C. spedeni G. Simpson and C. thomsoni Cheeseman, from the southern part of South Island, New Zealand have been rediscovered. Recently collected specimens and field-notes are used to provide detailed descriptions of morphology, geographic range, and habitat. The taxonomic position of each species is clarified.

Celmisia spedeni (Fig. 1) has long been a source of confusion, almost all specimens so labelled in herbaria bear little resemblance to the type specimen, and most are referable to members of the Celmisia gracilenta complex. The only locality given by Simpson (1945) was West Dome, Garvie Mountains. Allan (1961) described the range as about latitude 42° to 45°30'S, and commented, “As understood here a rather polymorphic and plastic species with leaves usually much more rigid than those of C. gracilenta. It does not appear to occur within the wetter areas”. Allan, in his synopsis, linked it with C. gracilenta, C. insignis, C. alpina, and C. graminifolia. However, recent field and herbarium studies indicate that Allan was mistaken in his concept of the species and that the name should be attached to a distinct species, of relatively high-rainfall mountains, belonging not to subgenus Celmisia but to subgenus Pelliculatae.

Celmisia thomsoni (Fig. 2) was described by Cheeseman in 1916 from specimens collected by W. A. Thomson and J. Speden on the Eyre Mountains in Southland. Speden collected it again in 1925 but there are no further reports until it was rediscovered late in 1972. Field work indicates that it is very local in distribution and the lack of collections is probably due both to this and its occurrence in an imperfectly explored mountainous area.