Natural variation in Olearia virgata (Asteraceae)

A recently published classification of Olearia section Divaricaster recogni sed four subspecies in the New Zealand endemic Olearia virgata. This revisi on of Olearia virgata is critically evaluated. Measurement data for leaf le ngth and width, ray floret length, peduncle length, and the number of leave s and capitula per brachyblast were taken from herbarium specimens of each subspecies. These data were used to examine character variation in O. virga ta, and to test the hypothesis that O. virgata comprises four subspecies. T he dimensions obtained from the measurement data differ substantially from those given for each subspecies and the variation is continuous and with co nsiderable overlap between the subspecies. Hierarchical cluster analyses an d multivariate discriminant analysis of these six characters do not support the recognition of four subspecies. It is concluded that O. virgata is a n aturally variable species for which it is not possible to formally recognis e variation.