Family: Asteraceae
Senecio behrianus
Citation:
Sonder & F. Muell. ex Sonder, Linnaea 25:527 (1853).
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: (Stiff) groundsel.
Description:
Perennial subshrub, with a horizontal woody rhizome; branches erect, 20-30 cm high or decumbent, cobwebby distally, glabrescent basally; mid-stem leaves linear, 2-3 cm x 1-2 mm, rarely longer, with margin callose-denticulate but usually strongly rolled under, adaxially glabrescent, abaxially hoary.
Heads solitary, axillary and terminal; peduncles 2-3.5 cm long, bracteolate, lanate or glabrescent; involucre cylindrical, 4-6 x c. 3 mm; bracts 13, hoary; calyculus of 2-4 linear bracteoles; ray florets apparently 6, possibly more; ligules 3.5-4 x 1.5-2 mm, 4- or 5-nerved; disk florets 10-15.
Achenes (immature?) 2-2.5 rarely 2.7 mm long, ribbed, hairy, straight or slightly bowed, tapered slightly toward either end; pappus dimorphic, deciduous.
Distribution:
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On sand or clay of stream banks.
S.Aust.: MU. N.S.W. (southwestern plains), Vic. (north-western mallee).
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: Jan. — May.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Taxonomic notes:
The authors did not cite any specimen for this species, but it was published in an enumeration of plants collected by Mueller in S.Aust. These were forwarded to Sonder, together with a collection by Dr Behr and by C. Stuart (in Tas.), before Mueller left Adelaide for Melbourne. Three sheets of this species in the National Herbarium of Vic. have legends in Mueller's script. One is from the Murray River near "Morundie", collected in Feb. 1847. Another is from the banks of the River Murray near Wood Station, June 1847. The third is placed only as Murray Flats, collected in Feb. 1851, and attributed to Behr. These three specimens may be the only ones ever collected in this State, but they definitely place this species as a part of the flora of South Australia at one time. The most recent collection appears to be one from Lake Charm, north-western Victoria, made in March 1925. This species is thought now to be extinct, but a search for it should be continued.
Author:
Not yet available
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