Aciphylla aurea, taramea, or golden Spaniard is endemic to the South Island, east of the main divide from Nelson and Marlborough to Northern Southland. It is commonly found in well-drained sites on rock outcrops, in tussock grasslands or in snow tussock-scrubland association, in montane to low alpine regions from 300-1500m asl. This handsome plant can make a very good garden plant, where its rather spiky  golden yellow foliage makes it a fine feature, and when the dead leaves accumulate around the base of the plant to form a damp humus they protect the basal portion of the plant and keep it moist. A robust tufted herb that can form large clumps, and it is at its best grown in an open sunny situation with deep well drained soil for its long taproot.  It can grow to 1m or so in diameter, and has spiky flower-heads can be up to 1m +, and male and female flowers are bourne on separate plants. Mature plants can collapse suddenly and die, which is caused mainly by Phytophthora or Rhizoctonia.