Scapisenecio pectinatus explained

Scapisenecio pectinatus, synonym Senecio pectinatus, commonly known as alpine groundsel, is a species of flowering plant in the aster family.^[1] The species occurs in alpine areas of south-eastern Australia in peat-based soils.^[2] It has divided leaves forming a basal rosette and produces a single yellow flower head (up to 30 mm diameter) on a stalk up to 20 cm high.^[2]

Taxonomy

The species was first described by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1838 as Senecio pectinatus. It was transferred to the new genus Scapisenecio in 2020 as a result of a molecular phylogenetic study of Australian species in the tribe Senecioneae.

Two varieties are currently recognised:

• Scapisenecio pectinatus var. major (F.Muell. ex Belcher) Schmidt-Leb. (Victoria and New South Wales)^{[3] [4]}
• Scapisenecio pectinatus var. pectinatus (Victoria and Tasmania)^{[3] [5]} It has small leaves with the tips of the divided segments curving inwards.^[6]

A white-flowering variety, formerly Senecio pectinatus var. ochroleucus F.Muell., was promoted to species status in 2004 as Senecio albogilvus I.Thomps., and then transferred to Scapisenecio as Scapisenecio albogilvus.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Senecio pectinatus DC.. Atlas of Living Australia. 10 January 2012.
2. Web site: Senecio pectinatus (DC.) Benth. . 10 January 2012 . PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online . Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia.
3. Book: Walsh N.G and V. Stajsic. Census of the Vascular Plants of Victoria. Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 978-0-9751362-8-7. 10 January 2012. Eighth.
4. Web site: Senecio pectinatus var. major F.Muell. ex Belcher. 10 January 2012 . PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online . Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia.
5. Web site: A Census of the vascular plants of Tasmania. 10 January 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110720105320/http://www.tmag.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/33041/Vascular_Plant_Census_2009_11.pdf. 20 July 2011.
6. Web site: Senecio pectinatus (Asteraceae) . 10 January 2012 . Key to Tasmanian vascular plants. University of Tasmania.