Etymology
Senecio from the Latin 'senex' meaning an old man; referring to the white pappus attached to the seed. Euclaensis alluding to the distribution of this species, around Eucla in Western Australia.
Distribution and status
Found on the cliffs near Border Village in South Australia. Also found in Western Australia. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in Western Australia.
Herbarium region: Nullarbor
NRM region: Alinytjara Wilurara
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Perrenial shrub to 1.5 m high, glabrous, or sometimes sparsely and transiently cobwebby. Leaves fleshy. Mid-stem/mid-branch leaves narrow-elliptic or oblanceolate, to 10 cm long, with length:width ratio c. 2.5�4, deeply lobate to subpinnatisect; major divisions 2�5 per side, strongly antrorse, triangular, oblong, narrow-oblong or obovate; base attenuate, petiole-like; margin � entire or few-denticulate or dentate, revolute; surfaces � glabrous; reticulate venation inconspicuous. Flower-heads of 60 dense clusters, with small rayless daisy flowers. Fruits are pale brown vase-shaped daisy-head. Seeds are orange-brown oblong seed to 3 mm long and 1 mm wide, covered in white hairs and with numerous deep striations, pappus not persisting. Seed embryo type is spatulate fully developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect heads that are fat, hard and turning brown by picking off the whole heads. Place the heads in a tray for a week to dry. Then rub the heads gently with your hands or a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Viable seeds will be fat and hard. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGA MSB | 1,600 (1.27 g) 1,600 (1.27 g) | 30 | 4-Nov-2009 | DJD1528 Nullarbor | 1-Jun-2010 | 100% | -18°C |