Senecio marotiri
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 – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: EF, Sp
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
Flower colours
Yellow
Detailed description
Erect annual to short-lived perennial herb. Leaves lanate hairy when young becoming sparsely hairy or glabrous with age; lowermost leaves elliptic, long-cuneate, serrate with 3-7 teeh on each side; mid cauline leaves oblanceolate to linear-oblong, remotely dentate, 50-120 x 4-15 mm; uppermost leaves smaller, lanceolate, amplexicaul, entire or few-toothed. Supplementary bracts 9-12, 1.5-3 mm long. Involucral bracts 10-13, glabrous, 6-8 mm long. Ray florets 8-11; ligules yellow, 1-2 mm long. Disc yellow, c.4-5 mm diameter. Cypsela 2.8-3.2 mm long, densely hairy between ribs, tapering at both ends.
Similar taxa
Most likely to be confused with Senecio australis (Forst f.) Willd. with which it occasionally grows in the wild. From S. australis, S. marotiri differs by its basal leaves which are lanately hairy to sparsely elliptic to broadly elliptic, rarely 1-pinnate but never lyrately-lobed, and glabrescent leaves, stems and capitula which are never covered in fine cobbwebby arachnoid hairs, by the cylindrical rather than urceolate (vase-shaped) capitula, much longer (6-8 cf. 5-6 mm long) and fewer (10-13 cf. 9-15) involucral bracts, and distinctly tapering cypsela. While nrDNA ITS sequences place S. australis in the lautusoid group, S. marotiri is placed outside that group, as the sister species to S. quadridentatus Labill.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island. Known from several islands in the Bay of Islands, the Poor Knights, Chickens, Mokohinau, Great Barrier and several eastern Coromandel Islands. Recently (2006) discovered on South East (Rangitira) Island in the Chatham Island group. Naturalised in Mt Albert, Auckland.
Habitat
Strictly coastal. An opportunistic species frequenting sea bird colonies, boulderfalls, coastal turfs, cliff ledges, petrel scrub, pasture, and on smaller islands clearances within tall forest.
Threats
Not threatened, but rather a naturally uncommon species of sporadic distribution.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
None
Taxonomic notes
Despite its superficial similarity to the S. lautus complex, nrDNA ITS sequences place it as sister species to S. quadridentatus Labill. and S. dunedinensis Belcher. Its seeds (cypsela) are very similar to those of S. quadridentatus. Not closely allied to S. australis Willd., which is part of the S. lautus complex
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October - February
Fruiting
October - April
Propagation technique
Easy from fresh seed and can become invasive. Best treated as an annual. Prefers full sun, and is cold sensitive
Other information
Etymology
senecio: From the Latin senex ‘old man’ (probably referring to the bearded seeds)
Chromosome number
2n = 80
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: EF, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Sparse
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally At Risk – Regionally Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp, DPR, DPS, DPT, EF, NStr, RR
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Webb, C.J. 1988: Notes on the Senecio lautus complex in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 26: 481-484.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 1 November 2008. Description based on Webb et al. (1988) supplemented by observations obtained from fresh specimens and 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 marotiri Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/senecio-marotiri/ (Date website was queried)