The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Senecio repangae subsp. pokohinuensis

Etymology

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

Common Name(s)

Mokohinau 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 - IE, Sp
2009 - OL, EF, IE

Authority

Senecio repangae subsp. pokohinuensis de Lange et B.G.Murray

Family

Asteraceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites

Synonyms

None

Distribution

Endemic to the Mokohinau Islands, in the north eastern Hauraki Gulf, North Island, New Zealand

Habitat

A species usually associated with sites of active sea bird nesting or roosting. It is often associated with the burrows of diving petrels, grey-faced petrels and storm petrels. On Pokohinu (Burgess) Island it also extends into former pasture, and is present as a weed in the remnants of the old light house settlement. In forested areas within sites of recent wind-throw it is often found as an early colonist.

Features

Erect, sparingly branched annual to short-lived perennial herb 0.2-1.2 m tall, arising from a stout woody rootstock. Foliage dull glaucous green. Leaves sparsely pilose hairy on undersides only otherwise glabrous; basal leaves cuneately narrowed or shortly petiolate, broadly elliptic-oval or rhomboidal, coarsely toothed, rarely lyrate-pinnatifid. Mid cauline leaves amplexicaul, usually deeply bifid at base, narrow, ovate, elliptic, lanceolate or oblong, pinnately lobed 1-2-pinnatifid with segments lanceolate to oblong, entire or few-toothed, gradually diminishing in size up stem, becoming apetiolate. Uppermost leaves smaller, lanceolate, dentate or pinnatifid. Supplementary bracts 5-9, narrow, 2-5 mm long; lower most usually dentate; margins often slightly villous, apex villous. Capitulum cylindric; involucral bracts 12-20, narrowly lanceolate, 6-9 mm long, glabrescent, with purple-black villous apices. Ray florets 8-14, evenly spaced; ligules 3-6 mm, sulphur yellow; margin involute; apex recurved, incised 3-4 times. Disc yellow 4-5 mm diameter. Cypsela subcylindric, 2.5-3 mm long, grey, slightly narrowed at apex, covered in hairs, but hairs distinctly denser toward apices and between ribs.

Similar Taxa

Senecio repangae de Lange et B.G.Murray subsp. repangae is similar and differs mainly by its dark green, heavily pilose-hairy foliage, longer capitula bracts, and ray florets which are involute, recurved, deeply incised, and widely and irregularly spaced. Senecio repangae had previously been included with S. lautus, from which it differs in its sparingly branched, erect growth form, non-succulent pilose- hairy foliage, greater number of involucral bracts (9-20 cf 11-13), longer racts (6-14 mm cf 4-7 mm), shorter ligules (1-4 mm cf 5-9 mm) and grey, subcylindric rather than black, narrowly cylindric cypsela. Senecio repangae has 2n = 100 chromosomes and S. lautus 2n = 40.

Flowering

Throughout the year

Flower Colours

Yellow

Fruiting

Throughout the year

Propagation Technique

Easy from fresh seed. Prefers full sun. Can become invasive.

Threats

A narrow range endemic confined wholly to the Mokohinau Islands group

Chromosome No.

2n = 100

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 29 Apr 2014