''Brachyglottis bellidioides'' is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of flower known from the

South Island The South Island ( , 'the waters of Pounamu, Greenstone') is the largest of the three major islands of New Zealand by surface area, the others being the smaller but more populous North Island and Stewart Island. It is bordered to the north by ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

Description

A dark green leave with deep-set veins, with a long stalk with a yellow flower head and petals.

Range

This species is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand.

Habitat

Alpine and subalpine habitats.

Ecology

''Brachyglottis bellidioides'' has thick leaves, which push aside leaves of other plants, particularly pincushion grass '' Agrostis muscosa'', in order to leave a small hollow from which the leaves can get sun and a stem can grow.

Etymology

The species epithet notes that the plant is similar to ''

Bellis ''Bellis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The group is native to Europe, the Mediterranean and northern Africa. One species has been introduced into North America and others into other parts of the world. The genus ...

''.

Taxonomy

''Brachyglottis bellidioides'' contains the following varieties: * ''Brachyglottis bellidioides'' var. ''angustata'' * ''Brachyglottis bellidioides'' var. ''bellidioides'' * ''Brachyglottis bellidioides'' var. ''crassa'' * ''Brachyglottis bellidioides'' var. ''orbiculata'' * ''Brachyglottis bellidioides'' var. ''setosa'' Some authors have argued that on the basis of clinal morphology, there is only a single species of ''Brachyglottis'' in New Zealand, which would subsume ''Brachyglotts bellidioides'' into '' Brachyglottis lagopus''.

References

Flora of New Zealand bellidioides {{Senecioneae-stub