The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

I've been trying to ID this plant which was growing on a ridge at approximately 1700m, above the Siberia Valley, Western Otago. I think its Brachyglottis bellidioides, rather than Brachyglottis lagopus, but I cant find any books which describe the difference between Brachyglottis bellidioides var. bellidioides and Brachyglottis bellidioides var. crassa.
Can anyone enlighten me, or point me towards any papers relating to these distinctions?

Another photo

See incertae sedis under Senecio bellidioides in Flora I p. 739. B. bellidioides is variable between sites, but plants at sites are usually quite consistent. Further taxonomic consideration is required.

Talk to Dr Pieter Pelser (University of Canterbury ([email protected])) as I gather he is revising the rosette forming Brachyglottis. Until such a revision is completed I think it prudent to retain such names as are published. I cannot access the key literature for you from where I am now but I am sure Dr Pelser can.

Plants from this general vicinity have been treated both as B. bellidioides and as B. lagopus, but mostly the former. The differences between these species aren't clear or convincing and existing treatments are not at all satisfactory. Your plant looks similar to what people sometimes call var crassa, but I think that name is best restricted to Stewart Island material (its type location is Table Hill) if used at all. The rugose leaf character is probably not a very helpful one. If the leaves are not too hairy underneath its probably best to call it bellidioides, but the leaves look hardly appressed suggesting lagopus. Clear as mud? When at the end of my tether I opt for lagopus as the older of the two names.

As Rob and Peter say - they are in need of critical evaluation, but leaf appressed is not a good character to differentiate between B. lagopus and B. bellidioides. B. lagopus has a densely hairy underside and densely softly hairy hares-ear-like (hence the name) upper surface and is rare in the South Island (in my opinion), B. bellidioides has only scattered hairs below (more common on young leaves) and is commoner in the South Island. I would have identified the plant pictured as B. bellidioides - but that's just me

It looks like the leaves you have focused on in the first picture are juvenile. In the rosette forming Brachyglottis juvenile leaves are often much hairier, and a lighter color, than the older leaves which you can sort of see in the background of the the second photo. I assume the type descriptions refer to older leaves unless otherwise specified.
The original descriptions of var. crassa only refer to locations on Stewart Isl. and it is suggested that its endemic there. The attached photo is an example of var. crassa from Table Hill, St. Isl., note the very dark glandular hairs which are typical.

Thanks Tim, unfortunately even that character is not consistent. Refer photos from Mt Rakeahua

And a close-up crop of leaf

Good call Mike, I should have said common rather than typical.

Rowan, I can't find much that directly compares the taxa but Flora is always good and there is the on-line copy from Landcare if you don't have access to the book:

http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Taxon.aspx?id=_b4799186-70ab-444d-a419-e454f176da3c&fileName=Flora%201.xml

It doesn't go into much detail about the varieties of B. bellidioides. However for var. crassa there is this from Transactions of the NZ Institute:

http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/image/rsnz_73/rsnz_73_03_0277_0171_ac_01.html