The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Hi I found this beauty atop Mt Kapakapanui today is it Brachyglottis bellidioides var. bellidioides? Two photos...Cheers Matt

And this one the hairy leaves

Matt one really needs to see the leaves - but your best bet is to ask Rob Smissen ([email protected]) or Pieter Pelser ([email protected]). My bet though is that its still B lagopus (but happy to be proved wrong)

Hi Matt, as far as I am aware B. bellidioides is not known from the North Island. It is more problematic in the South Island where both species occur and B. bellidioides has several variable forms, some of which are very hairy and/or tomentose. There is a rough treatment of this complex in Flora I, some of which are easy to recognise in the field, and some MUCH less easy to recognise. Add in B. traversii and hybrids with B. southlandicus and it gets even more complex!

Thanks Peter & Mike, I have been in contact with Rob Smissen and he says that the North Island population vary dramatically even within a site, which is exactly why I was confused(I also found specimens which were easily identifiable as B. lagopus). Rob thinks that the species are needing to be named(referred to) per geographical location at this point. In this case he said that B. lagopus would be the best bet until further genetic work has been completed as it is the oldest name for North Island populations. Thanks again.

Thanks for passing that on Matt. Using location makes sense