''Olearia allomii'', also known as the Great Barrier tree daisy, is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

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 ...

. The plant was first described by Thomas Kirk in 1871, and is endemic to

Great Barrier Island Great Barrier Island () lies in the outer Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, north-east of central Auckland. With an area of it is the sixth-largest List of islands of New Zealand, island of New Zealand. Its highest point, Mount Hobson, Great Barrier ...

and nearby

Hauraki Gulf The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is a coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. It has an area of 4000 km2,Auckland Region Auckland () is one of the 16 regions of New Zealand, which takes its name from the eponymous urban areas of New Zealand, urban area. The region encompasses the Auckland, Auckland metropolitan area, smaller towns, rural areas, and the islands o ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

Taxonomy

The species was formally described by Thomas Kirk in 1871, and was discovered at Mount Young on

in November 1867 by Kirk, Albert James Allom and Frederick Hutton. Kirk named the species after Allom.

Description

Kirk's original text (the

type description A species description is a formal scientific description of a newly encountered species, typically articulated through a scientific publication. Its purpose is to provide a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differ ...

) reads as follows: ''O. allomii'' has broad dish-shaped leathery leaves with white undersides, which measure by . The species has fuzzy white twigs, a thick stalk, and typically has large clusters of white flowers. Kirk noted similarities to the species '' Olearia haastii'', but could identify ''O. allomii'' due to the larger size of its parts, dwarf rigid habit, and loose scales. The species flowers between September and December, and fruits between October and April.

Distribution and habitat

The species is endemic to

and the surrounding islands of the

Hauraki Gulf The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is a coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. It has an area of 4000 km2,New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. In 2009, the species was confirmed to be present on Kaikōura Island. ''O. allomii'' is one of the few plants endemic to the Auckland Region. ''O. allomii'' typically grows on cliffs, rock outcrops or open shrubland, typical of the central area of Great Barrier Island.

Gallery

Olearia allomii Kirk (AM AK9475).jpg, Syntype from the herbarium of the

Auckland War Memorial Museum The Auckland War Memorial Museum (), also known as Auckland Museum, is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its neoclassical architecture, neoclassical building constructed in the 1920s and 1950s, stands on Observatory ...

Olearia allomii3 by Peter de Lange.jpg, Flowers of ''O. allomii'' Olearia allomii 43291337.jpg, Leaves of ''O. allomii'' Olearia allomii 233032234.jpg, ''O. allomii'' growing in its typical rocky habitat

References

{{Great Barrier Island allomii Endemic flora of New Zealand Plants described in 1871 Endemic biota of the Auckland Region, New Zealand Taxa named by Thomas Kirk Flora of the North Island