Species

Senecio hauwai

Etymology

Senecio: From the Latin senex 'old man' (probably referring to the bearded seeds)

Common Name(s)

Marfells groundsel, Cloudy Bay groundsel

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Threatened - Nationally Endangered

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, Sp
2009 - ST

Authority

Senecio hauwai Sykes

Family

Asteraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

SENHAU

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

None

Distribution

Endemic. South Island, Marlborough, White Bluff to Marfells Beach

Habitat

A strictly coastal species of steep sided, calcareous (papa) mudstone/siltstone cliff faces and canyons

Features

Perennial, prostrate to wekaly ascending herb of calcareous siltstone (papa) cliffs. Plants basally woody otherwise subsucculent. Leaves sparsely hairy when young, glabrate, apetiolate, cuneate; 12-30 x 5-12 mm, dark green to purple-green above, usually purple beneath, elliptic-oblong to oblanceolate, deeply pinnatifid to 1-pinnate; segements 6-10-12, narrow-oblong, few-toothed or entire. Uppermost leaves similar but smaller and less divided. Supplementary bracts and calycular bracteoles 3-7, 2-3 mm long. Involucral bracts 11-13, 4-5 mm long, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Ray florets 0, disc 5-9 mm diameter, pale yellow. Cypsela 4.0-5.5 mm long, orange-brown to brown, narrowly oblong to narrowly oblong-elliptic, slightly narrowed at apex, ribs broad and rounded; grooves narrow, papillate hairs short, retrorse, in 1-2 sparse rows in grooves.

Similar Taxa

Allided to the S. glaucophyllus Cheeseman complex from which it differs by its discoid captiula and chromosome number (2n = 60 cf. 2n = 100). Senecio glaucophyllus subsp. discoideus is however, quite similar. It can be distnguished by its restriction to montane and alpine scree and open stony ground, smaller erect growth habit, less divided leaves, and chromosome number (2n = 100 cf. 2n = 60 in S. hauwai). The S. glaucophyllus complex is in critical need ft revision.

Flowering

October - March

Flower Colours

Yellow

Fruiting

December - May

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh seed, rooted pieces and semi-hardwood cuttings but short-lived and difficult to maintain. Best in a pot or planter box in full sun, with a free draining, lime enriched soil

Threats

A narrow range endemic not currently threatened. However its habitat is vulnerable to weed invasion, and is naturally erosion prone. Populations therefore can fluctuate in size and extent over short periods of time. Current monitoring indicates there is no need for concern

Chromosome No.

2n = 60

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Not commercially available

Attribution

Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 November 2008. Description based on Sykes (1987).

References and further reading

Sykes, W. R. 1987: A new species of Senecio from New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 25: 611-613

This page last updated on 5 Sep 2016