Senecio wairauensis
Common name
mountain fireweed
Synonyms
Erechtites glabrescens Kirk nom. illegit., Erechtites prenanthoides var. â minor Hook.f., Erechtites wairauensis (Belcher) Allan var. wairauensis, Erechtites wairauensis var. robusta Allan
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
SENWAI
Chromosome number
2n = 40
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. North, South and Stewart Islands
Habitat
Usually montane to alpine as a ground plant in forest, scrub or in open ground. Also common along stream sides, lake margins and in bogs. May also grow in tussock grassland. In the southern part of its range it also grows near the coast.
Flower colours
Yellow
Propagation technique
Easy from fresh seed. Can become invasive. Not an overly interesting or attractive garden subject.
Etymology
senecio: From the Latin senex ‘old man’ (probably referring to the bearded seeds)
wairauensis: Of the Wairau Valley
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Cultural Use/Importance
A very variable species buit several well marked races which probably warrant formal taxonomic rank. There is some independent support for this based on nrDNA ITS sequences