Raoulia grandiflora

A small, sessile flowering plant with white flowers.

Stems woody at base, much-branched; branches and branchlets densely to rather loosely arranged, the plant forming cushions or mats up to c. 15 cm. diam., occ. of more open habit. Lvs densely imbricate, 5-10 × 1-2 mm., 3-nerved, ovate-lanceolate-spathulate, tapering to subacute tip, clad in upper part on both surfaces in appressed silvery tomentum, loosely tomentose near base. Capitula up to 1·5 cm. diam.; inner phyll. linear, contracted near middle, obtuse, with conspicuous white radiate tips up to c. 5 mm. long. Florets 25-45; ♀ 8-15 with narrow slender corolla, perfect with funnelform corolla. Stylopodium prominent. Achenes < 1 mm. long, clad in silky hairs; pappus-hairs c. 5 mm. long, stiff, slightly thickened at tips.^[4]

While some authorities consider it only a South Island species,^[3] it can also be found on the North Island south of Mt. Hikurangi in suitable habitat.^[1]

This plant is found in subalpine or subarctic biomes.^[3] Normally, it is in mountainous areas, found among rocks or near scree fields.^[1] It is also found in tussock areas and gravel fields.^[5]

This species often appears in scree fields where tussock mats leave openings.^[6] It can be found in communities with Anisotome aromatica, Celmisia laricifolia, and Cyathodes dealbata. In small hollows that accumulate water with a sandy substrate, it can be found in colluvium with Epilobium pernitens, Carpha alpina, Oreomyrrhis colensoi, and Viola cunninghamii.^[6] In tussockland it associates with Chionochloa crassiuscula and Celmisia haastii, and it can also be found in gravel areas where as much as 90% of the area is rock.^[5] In gravel fields it is known to associate with Veronica pulvinaris, Anisotome imbricata, and Dracophyllum pronum.^[5]