Senecio antipodus
Common names
Antipodes groundsel
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | At Risk – Declining | Qualifiers: CD, DPS, DPT, EF, IE
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
Flower colours
Yellow
Detailed description
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 Senecio radiolatus from which it differs by its eradiate (discoid) capitula (i.e. it lacks ray florets), and slightly smaller, less obviously hairy seeds. Both species seem closely allied to S. sterquilinus from which they differ by their more erect growth habit, smaller flowers, and consistently lanate-hairy leaves. As Senecio antipodus has never been part of published phylogenetic study, and the relationships between the Latusoid Senecio is complex, and best resolved by phylogenetic studies (Liew et al. 2018), species rank is here preferred over subspecies.
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.
Threats
A narrow range endemic of restricted distribution. However common within its island habitat
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Senecio radiolatus subsp. antipodus (Kirk) C.Webb
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November - January
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.
Other information
Etymology
senecio: From the Latin senex ‘old man’ (probably referring to the bearded seeds)
Chromosome number
2n = 40
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: CD, DP, EF, IE
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: CD, IE
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: OL, EF, IE
2004 | Range Restricted
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Liew, C-S.; Memory, A.E.; Ortiz-Barrientos, D.; de Lange, P.J.; Pelser, P. 2018: The delimitation and evolutionary history of the Australasian Lautusoid group of Senecio (Asteraceae: Senecioneae). Taxon 67(1): 130-148. https://doi.org/10.12705/671.8
Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ 1988. Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 11 November 2008. Description based on Webb et al. (1988) supplemented with information obtained from herbarium material.
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Senecio antipodus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/senecio-antipodus/ (Date website was queried)