Deciduous tree daisy Olearia hectorii

Olearia hectori flowers
Olearia hectorii leaves
Olearia hectorii branches

Key Features

  • Small, deciduous tree to 9 m tall, with a spreading canopy and thick, corky, furrowed bark.
  • Young twigs are flattened but become round in cross section as they age.
  • The opposite leaves are thin, pale green and roughly oval, 2-6 cm long, with furry undersides.
  • Small, yellow, flowering heads occur in clusters and may appear in spring before plants are in leaf. Seeds are wind-dispersed in typical daisy fashion.

Distribution and Habitat

  • South Island in Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
  • Lowland to montane shrublands and forest margins, always on fertile sites such as stream banks, oxbows, fans, swamp margins and alluvial flats.

Threats

  • Habitat destruction and modification.
  • Regeneration failure due to competition with grasses and weeds.

Management Opportunities

  • Survey for new locations.
  • Mark known sites.
  • Protection of habitat.
  • Spray grasses beneath trees to promote regeneration.
  • Ensure that forest owners are aware of potential habitats and can recognise the species.

Monitoring

  • Check existing populations annually.
  • Report new locations to DOC, NZPCN.

Further Information and Support

  • New Zealand Plant Conservation Network (NZPCN). http://www.nzpcn.org.nz
  • References:
    • Dopson et al. (1999). The conservation requirements of New Zealand’s nationally threatened vascular plants. Threatened Species Occasional Publication 13. Department of Conservation, Wellington.
    • Wilson & Galloway (1993). Small-leaved shrubs of New Zealand. Manuka Press, Christchurch.
    • Peter de Lange, Peter Heenan, David Norton, Jeremy Rolfe and John Sawyer (2010). Threatened Plants of New Zealand. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch. 472 pp.