Senecio antipodus
Common name
Antipodes groundsel
Synonyms
Senecio radiolatus subsp. antipodus (Kirk) C.Webb
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
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) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants.
Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – an interim threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
- Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017 . 2018. 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. 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
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: CD, IE
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: OL, EF, IE
2004 | Range Restricted
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.
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.
Flowering
November - January
Flower colours
Yellow
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.
Threats
A narrow range endemic of restricted distribution. However common within its island habitat
Etymology
senecio: From the Latin senex ‘old man’ (probably referring to the bearded seeds)
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
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.
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.
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)