Phil Bendle Collection:Olearia avicenniifolia (Mountain akeake)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Compositae
Genus: Olearia
Species: O.avicenniaefolia
Binomial name: Olearia avicenniaefolia
Synonyms: Shawia avicenniifolia, Eurybia avicenniifolia
Common names: Mountain akeake, teteaweka, South Island akeake, hakeke

Olearia avicenniaefolia is an endemic, spreading shrub/small tree found on the exposed, windswept coastline of Stewart Island and southern parts of the South Island. The tree has thin papery bark. It grows to about >6m tall and can have a spread of >3m.
It has leathery, grey/green, lance-shaped leaves that are downy white on the undersides.
During November to February sweet-scented flowers are carried in clusters of 3-10 and are about 5cm wide, with white rays and purple central disks.

[1]

Photographed at Knights Point West Coast, New Zealand. Late February.
[2]

Photographed in the Upper Buller Gorge.
[3]

[4]

The buff coloured tomentum on the underside is a distinguishing feature of the shrub.[http://ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info/image_files/0000/0006/1719/Olearia_avicenniifolia__Akeake_-001.JPG
][5]

Photographed near Knights Point, South Westland. Early March.
[6]

Photographed at Otari Wilton Reserve, Wellington
[7] 

The undersurface of a leaf covered in buff coloured tomentum
[8] 

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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