Olearia avicenniifolia | |
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On Stewart Island | |
Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Olearia |
Species: | O. avicenniifolia
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Binomial name | |
Olearia avicenniifolia | |
Synonyms [3] | |
Aster avicenniifolia (Hook.f.) F.Muell. |
Olearia avicenniifolia, known commonly as mountain akeake, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. [1] It is endemic to New Zealand where it is found on the southern coastlines of the South Island and on Stewart Island. [4] It is classified as Not Threatened. [5]
Mountain akeake is a small, bushy shrub or tree that grows up to 6 metres tall [6] and 3 metres wide. [4] It has thin, papery bark [7] and angular branchlets covered in white tomentum. [6] Leaves are oblong-lanceolate in shape. [6] They are dark green in colour with a downy, white underside. [1] Leaf length varies between 5–10 cm long and 3–5 cm wide. [8]
Flowers are clustered and daisy-like with white rays and purple central disks. They emerge between November and February and have a sweet scent. [4] [6] Flowers are about 5 centimetres wide and carried in clusters of three to ten. [4] The flowers develop into fluffy seeds. [1]
It was first described in 1846 by Raoul as Shawia avicenniifolia [9] and transferred to the Olearia genus by Joseph Hooker in 1864. [1] [2]