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16. H. pauciflorum, ''Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst.'' xxvii. (1895) 351.—A small much-branched greyish-white plant, with a hard and woody base. Stems 3–8 in. high, decumbent below, erect or ascending at the tips; branches stout, with the leaves ¼–⅓ in. diam. Leaves densely imbricate in several series, ⅙ in. long, oblong or oblong-spathulate, obtuse or subacute, erect or spreading at the tips, sessile by a broad base, both surfaces densely clothed with grevish-white tomentum. Heads ⅙ in. diam., solitary, sessile at the tips of the branches and almost hidden by the leaves; involucral bracts in 2 series, lanceolate, acute, scarious, silky at the base on the outside. Florets few, 10–16, of which 3–6 are females. Achene clothed with long silky hairs, and with a thickened areole at the base. Pappus-hairs few, thickened upwards.—Students' Fl. 313.

Shrubs or very rarely herbs. Leaves alternate, entire. Heads small, numerous, in terminal corymbs or panicles, discoid, homogamous in most of the species, but usually heterogamous in those found in New Zealand. Involucre oblong or ovoid; bracts in several series, imbricate, scarious; the inner with short white radiating tips. Receptacle narrow, with scarious chaffy scales among the florets. Florets few, in the majority of the species all hermaphrodite, tubular, 5-toothed; but in the New Zealand species 1 or 2 of the outer ones are female, filiform, minutely toothed. Anthers sagittate at the base, usually produced into slender tails. Stylebranches of the hermaphrodite florets terete, truncate. Achenes small, angled or almost terete. Pappus-hairs in 1 series, slender, free or connate at the base.