Species
Senecio glaucophyllus subsp. basinudus
Etymology
Senecio: From the Latin senex 'old man' (probably referring to the bearded seeds)
glaucophyllus: Blue or greyish/bluish leaves; having bloom on the leaves
Common Name(s)
None Known
Current Conservation Status
2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB
Previous Conservation Status
2009 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Range Restricted
Qualifiers
2012 - RR
Authority
Senecio glaucophyllus subsp. basinudus Ornduff
Family
Asteraceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Native
SENBAS
The
National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites
Synonyms
Senecio lautus var. α raoulii Hook.f., Senecio glaucophyllus subsp. raoulii (Hook.f.) Ornduff
Distribution
Endemic. South Island only, from Banks Peninsula to the Otago Peninsula.
Habitat
Coastal to lowland, usually on basalt to basaltic-andesite rocks. Favouring exposed cliff faces and associated talus, boulder field. Occasionally found on sand and sand dunes near cliff faces.
Features
Erect, glabrous, dark green to glaucescent, perennial herb up to 0.9 x 1.0 m. Rootstock woody. Branches arising from base, mostly persistent, in some populatiosn dying back in winter. Stems sparingly to much branched, 0.10-1 m tall. Lower stem leaves more or less evenly spaced and sized; shortly petiolate, petiole broad and tapering; lamina 100-300 mm long, dark green to glaucescent above, oblanceolate, lanceolate to elliptic to narrow-elliptic to pinnatifid, very coarse-dentate or lobate; main segments 2-6 extending for much of length, tending to be smaller toward apex, deltoid to lanceolate, apex obtuse to acute, base auriculate, with auricles divided, semiamplexicaul. Mid stem leaves similar but often more deeply divided, up to 600 mm long. Upper stem leaves narrower and smaller, bases auriculate, auricles deeply lacerate or entire. Inflorescences Unit - subterminal to terminal, of (4-)6(-12) capitula arranged subcorymbosely, overtopping variable. Involucral bracts 4.3-5.0 mm long, linear to linear-lanceolate. Ray florets 10-16 or absent, when present ligules 2-3.5 x 1.6-1.8 mm, bright yellow, linear ovate, ovate to oblong. Disc 4-6 mm diameter. Cypsela 2.5-3.5 x 0.5-0.8 mm, dark brown to black-brown, narrowly elliptic to oblong-elliptic, slightly narrowed to or constricted below apex, base cuneate. Ribs broad and rounded; grooves deep, u-shaped; hairs conspicuous, retrorse in 1-6 rows, confined to grooves. Pappus 4.5-6.5 mm long, white.
Similar Taxa
A distinctive plant which beyond the shared chromosome number (2n = 100) has little obvious resemblance to S. glaucophyllus Cheeseman. S. glaucophyllus subsp. basinudus has narrower darker green to glaucescent leaves and fewer-flowered inflorescences with smaller capitula. The seeds are somewhat broader than subsp. glaucophyllus and notably more hairy. S. glaucophyllus subsp. basinudus is a basicole favouring basalt and basaltic-andesite volcanics. Plants considered to be it at Cape Campbell appear to be another, probably related but undescribed entity. They differ by their smaller size, more deeply lobed to pinnatifid leaves, and larger flowers.
Flowering
October - March
Flower Colours
Yellow
Fruiting
December - May
Propagation Technique
Easy from fresh seed and semi-hardwood cuttings. An attractive perennial for a sunny spot. Excellent for rock walls or rockeries and very good in a pot.
Threats
Not threatened. Listed because it is a narrow range endemic of limited geographic range
Chromosome No.
2n = 100
Endemic Taxon
Yes
Endemic Genus
No
Endemic Family
No
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Taxonomic notes
The Senecio glaucophyllus complex are in serious need of revision, most of the taxa assigned to it at the rank of subspecies have little resemblance to the type and are probably better regarded as distinct species. There is some molecular evidence to support this view.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 November 2008. Description based on Ornduff (1960), Webb et al. (1988) supplemented by observations obtained from fresh specimens and herbarium material
References and further reading
Ornduff, R. 1960: An interpretation of the Senecio lautus complex in New Zealand. Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand 88: 63-77.
Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ 1988. Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch
This page last updated on 29 Apr 2014