The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Senecio radiolatus

Etymology

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

Current Conservation Status

2018 - At Risk - Relict

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

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2009 - At Risk - Relict
2004 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2012 - IE, Sp
2009 - IE, RR, Sp

Authority

Senecio radiolatus F.Muell. subsp. radiolatus

Family

Asteraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

SENRSR

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites

Synonyms

Senecio radiolatus F.Muell., Senecio lautus var. radiolatus (F.Muell.) Kirk

Distribution

Endemic. Chatham Island group only

Habitat

Found on dunes and other coastal sites, such as in crevices where there is little soil, or on bouldery beaches. It is typically associated with the nesting sites of sea birds, and has been found on the lagoon-shore limestone cliffs.

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 entire or few-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 10-20, ligules dark yellow, 1.5-8 mm long. Disc yellow, 5-15 mm diameter. Cypsela 2.2-3.5 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 medium-length, retrorse, more or less evenly distributed or occasionally restricted to grooves. Pappus caducous, 5-7 mm long.

Similar Taxa

Senecio radiolatus subsp. antipodus (Kirk) C.J.Webb is somewhat similar but has less divided leaves, discoid capitula (i.e. lacking ray florets), and smaller (2.0-3.0 cf. 2.5-3.5 mm long), glabrescent seeds with minutely papillate hairs mostly confined to the grooves. Senecio sterquilinus Ornduff has recently been recognised on the ChathamIslands, and is superficially similar to S. radiolatus subsp. radiolatus. For S. radiolatus subsp. radiolatus S. sterquilinus differs by its smaller widely branchign habit, glabrescent stems and leaves which lack lanate hairs. The seeds of S. sterquilinus are very similar to S. radiolatus subsp. radiolatus but not subsp. antipodus.

Flowering

October - May

Flower Colours

Yellow

Fruiting

November - June

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh seed. Short-lived but very attractive and easily grown. Does best in a moist, very fertile (high N, P, K) soil in full sun. Trials in the early 1990s at Percy Reserve and Petone proved tha tit is very attractive plant ideal for an annual border

Threats

Threatened by loss of its coastal habitat, loss of seabird colonies and browsing by introduced animals (including insects and molluscs).

Chromosome No.

2n = 40

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 29 Apr 2014