''Leucogenes grandiceps'', commonly known as the South Island edelweiss, is a species of plant in the family

Asteraceae Asteraceae () is a large family (biology), family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the Order (biology), order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchi ...

. It is native to the

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

and

Stewart Island Stewart Island (, ' glowing skies', officially Stewart Island / Rakiura, formerly New Leinster) is New Zealand's third-largest island, located south of the South Island, across Foveaux Strait. It is a roughly triangular island with a la ...

s of New Zealand.http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40005862 Tropicos, ''Leucogenes'' Beauverd

Description

''Leucogenes grandiceps'' is a perennial herb with leafy stems and white and yellow flowers. It grows up to 0.1 cm tall by 10 cm wide and has pale green leaves.

Habitat preferences

''Leucogenes grandiceps'' prefers subalpine and alpine regions.

Life cycle

''Leucogenes grandiceps'' flowers between November and March and seed is wind dispersed.

Predators, parasites and diseases

''Leucogenes grandiceps'' serves as a food source for a variety of endemic insect species in its native habitat. One such insect is the ''Adoxia obscura'' beetle, which visits the flowers of the plant. Several grasshopper species, including ''Brachaspis nivalis'', ''Paprides nitidus'', ''Sigaus australis'', and ''Sigaus villosus'', are also known to feed on the leaves, flowers, and fruits of ''Leucogenes grandiceps''. Several wasp and bee species, such as ''Lasioglossum maunga'' and ''Leioproctus pekanui'', are associated with the plant along with a variety of fly species, including ''Melangyna novaezelandiae'', ''Melangyna sp''., ''Muscidae sp''., ''Plethochaetigera setiventris'', and ''Veluta albicincta.''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15549824 Gnaphalieae Flora of the South Island Plants described in 1910 Endemic flora of New Zealand