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Forest Vines to Snow Tussocks: The Story of New Zealand Plants

Celmisia

Celmisia

As well as the 60 or so species of Celmisia in New Zealand there are two related genera in the subantarctic islands: the semi-woody Damnamenia and the large, tufted, herbaceous Pleurophyllum.153 Pleurophyllum is considered to be intermediate in some respects between Celmisia and one group of the woody genus Olearia, also strongly represented in New Zealand. This fact, plus possible wild hybrids between Olearia and Celmisia, suggests a derivation, perhaps within New Zealand, of Celmisia from Olearia. Some of the New Zealand celmisias are described as subshrubs, but the five species in east Australia are herbaceous and in Wardle's words 'seem to represent end points of evolutionary pathways stemming from New Zealand'.