The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Senecio radiolatus subsp. antipodus

Etymology

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

Common Name(s)

Antipodes groundsel

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 - CD, IE
2009 - OL, EF, IE

Authority

Senecio radiolatus subsp. antipodus (Kirk) C.Webb

Family

Asteraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites

Synonyms

Senecio antipodus Kirk

Distribution

Endemic. Antipodes Islands only

Habitat

Coastal to upland (0 - 330 m a.s.l.) where it nearly always found in the vicinity of seal haul outs and sea bird nesting grounds/colonies. Another indigenous plant whose ecology seems tied to guano enriched systems.

Features

Annual to short-lived, stout, grey-green to dark green, fleshy, erect perennial herb. Leaves mostly lanate when young, maturing glabrate or glabrous above, but remaining lanate beneath, base amplexicaul, cuneate; lamina 30-250 x 20-120 mm, dark grey-green, silvery-grey or dark green above, paler beneath, ovate to suborbicular, pinnately lobed to pinnatisect with many narrow to broad, lanceolate entire or deeply jagged-toothed segments. Uppermost leaves smaller, less divided, narrow-obovate, broadly tapering to base. Supplementary bracts and calycular bracteoles variable, 3-16, 1.5-8 mm long. Involucral bracts 13-20, 4-9 mm long, glabrate. Ray florets absent. Disc yellow, 5-15 mm diameter. Cypsela 2.0-3.0 mm long, dark brown to black-brown, narrowly elliptic to narrowly oblong-elliptic, narrowed to and often slightly constricted below apex, base cuneate; ribs broad, rounded with narrow u-shaped grooves, hairs very-short, papillate, mostly restricted to grooves with a very sparse covering sometimes present elsewhere. Pappus caducous, 5-7 mm long.

Similar Taxa

Allied to S. radiolatus F.Muell. subsp. radiolatus from which it only differs by its eradiate (discoid) capitula (i.e. it lacks ray florets), and slightly smaller, less obviously hairy seeds. Both subspecies seem closely allied to S. sterquilinus Ornduff from which they differ by their more erect growth habit, smaller flowers, and consistently lanate-hairy leaves.

Flowering

November - January

Flower Colours

Yellow

Fruiting

December - March

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh seed but intolerant of humidity and warm climates. Short-lived and rather difficult to maintain except in cooler climates.

Threats

A narrow range endemic of restricted distribution. However common within its island habitat

Chromosome No.

2n = 40

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 29 Apr 2014