Celmisia allanii Martin (1935: 181)

Saldivia, Patricio, 2023, Nomenclature and typifications in Celmisia (Asteraceae: Astereae): The New Zealand endemic subgenera Caespitosae, Glandulosae, and Lignosae, Phytotaxa 591 (1), pp. 31-45 : 35

7. Celmisia allanii Martin (1935: 181) .

Type :— NEW ZEALAND. South Island, Mt Trovatore, 7 Feb 1928, H.H. Allan s.n. (holotype CHR 75726 !) .

Notes:— Martin mentioned neither the collector nor the herbarium number (he only cited the type locality and the herbarium). However, Allan (1961: 627) provided the collector and date information.

Given (1969b: 396) proposed to change the type specimen collected by H.H. Allan in Mt Trovatore, east of Lewis Pass (CHR 75726, see above), to a specimen from Mt Lockett (Cobb Valley, F.G. Gibbs 467 [CHR 6289!, Given cited the number erroneously as CHR 6286]). Given based his decision on a confusing comment by Martin (1936: 74), who mentioned: “In selecting as the type of this species a plant collected on Mt. Lockett by Mr. F. G. Gibbs”. Given also supported his proposal by the following statement: “Plants of CHR 75726 labelled as from Mount Trovatore and of CHR 6286 as from Mount Lockett are exactly alike. Both are of the form common in the vicinity of Mount Lockett, whereas this species is represented on Mount Trovatore by plants that differ recognizably in having consistently smaller leaves and greyer, thinner tomentum”. I have studied C. allanii nearby both localities, and the shape, size, and indumentum of the leaves and phyllaries of CHR 75726 perfectly matches plants from Mt. Trovatore’s area. Therefore, I see no taxonomic evidence for accepting such a change.