Mountain helichrysum (Helichrysum selago)
Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Gnaphalieae
Genus: Helichrysum
Species: Helichrysum selago
Common name: Mountain helichrysum, Straw flower
Helichrysum selago is a much-branched shrub which grows up to 30 cm high. The tiny appressed adult green leaves are 3-4 mm long.
It has small creamy white 6-7 mm wide flowers heads at the branch ends in summer.Helichrysum selago is natural found in rocky places, up to 1600 m in the dry montane to subalpine places throughout the South Island, New Zealand.
Photographed at Te Kainga Marire Gardens at Spencer Place, late January 
Clse up of branches and the appressed shiney backs of the tiny leaves
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