Plants of
South Australia
Senecio gregorii
Asteraceae
Fleshy Groundsel
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 3

Prior names

Othonna gregorii

Common names

Fleshy Groundsel

Etymology

Senecio from the Latin 'senex' meaning an old man; referring to the white pappus attached to the seed. Gregorii named after Sir Augustus Charles Gregory (1819-1905), an English-born Australian explorer and surveyor-general and collecter of the type specimen from Coopers Creek.

Distribution and status

found in the northern part of South Australia, growing in a variety of soils in river beds, plains, dunes and margin of saline swamps, in herbfield, shrubland and woodland. Also found in all mainland states. Native. Common in South Australia. Rare in Victoria. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Murray
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Glaucous, annual herb to 50 cm high. Stem leaves narrow-linear to 10 cm long, undivided, base narrow. Inflorescence 1-5 on a stem with large yellow daisy-flowers. Flowering between July to December but possibly throughout the year depending on rainfall. Fruits are large daisy-head with exposed yellowish pappus. Seed embryo type is spatulate fully developed.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between January and December. Collect heads that are large and fluffy. Either pick off the whole heads or use your finger and pull off the seeds from the head. Mature seeds will come off easily. Place the heads in a tray for a week to dry. No cleaning is required if only pure seeds are collected. If heads are collected, then rub the heads gently with your hands 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.

We acknowledge the contributions of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, and the Department for Environment and Water.