Raoulia rubra

Raoulia rubra
Raoulia rubra in the Tararua Range
Conservation status
Not Threatened (NZ TCS) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Raoulia
Species:	R. rubra
Binomial name
Raoulia rubra Buchanan

Raoulia rubra is a cushion plant belonging to the family Asteraceae and is found in the mountains of southern North Island and northern South Island, New Zealand. Its common name in English is scabweed, although it is also sometimes called vegetable sheep. ^[1]

Description

Although the whitish cushion can be two feet (60 cm ) wide it is only 25 mm (one inch) thick and looks like a lichen. The scattered tiny flowers are red. ^[2]

Raoulia rubra in flower

References

1. "Raoulia rubra". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2025-02-20.
2. Hogan, Sean (2004). Flora - The Gardener's Bible. Willoughby, New South Wales: Global Book Pub. Pty. Ltd. p. 1133 incl photo. ISBN   1-74048-097-X.