Senecio colensoi
Synonyms
Senecio colensoi Hook.f. var. colensoi, Senecio colensoi var. lobulatus Allan, Senecio colensoi var. obtusifolius Allan
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
Chromosome number
2n = 60
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: DP, RR, Sp
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (east coast from Hawke’s Bay south to Cape Turnagain, extending inland to Lake Taupo).
Etymology
senecio: From the Latin senex ‘old man’ (probably referring to the bearded seeds)
colensoi: Named after William Colenso (7 November 1811 - 10 February 1899) who was a Cornish Christian missionary to New Zealand, and also a printer, botanist, explorer and politician.
Taxonomic notes
Most botanists now include Senecio colensoi within S. banksii but the published evidence for this is wanting, i.e. no formal study of this species pair has been presented, just an opinion based on a brief examination of herbarium specimens (Webb et al. 1988). As such until a proper, critical study of the two species is undertaken it seems prudent to retain them as distinct, especially as in the field both species are easily distinguished and have been found growing sympatrically. Senecio colensoi differs from S. banksii mainly by the leaves which are densely covered with silvery-white lanate hairs. It is also a smaller, less heavily branched plant.
References and further reading
Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Botany Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Christchurch, NZ. 1365 p.