PLATE 112.—-SENECIO HECTORI. 
Famity COMPOSIT A. ] [Genus SENECIO, Linn. 
Senecio Hectori, Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. v (1873), 348 ; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 376. 
The previous plate represents the finest herbaceous Senecio found in New Zealand ; 
in the present one an equally handsome shrubby species is delineated. It has been 
worthily associated with the name of Sir James Hector, the first Director of the 
Geological Survey and Manager of the New Zealand Institute, who for a period of 
forty years was the leader of scientific thought and activity in the Dominion, and 
the promoter of every inquiry into its natural history. 
S. Hectori was originally discovered by Mr. W. T. L. Travers near Collingwood 
and in the Wangapeka Valley, but from some unexplained reason was not published. 
In January, 1872, however, Sir James Hector collected it in several localities in 
the Buller Valley, finding it particularly plentiful in the dense shrubberies fringing 
the banks of the river between the junction of its tributary streams the Mangles 
and Inangahua; and a description of the species was supplied by Mr. Buchanan 
to the next volume of the “ Transactions of the New Zealand Institute.” Later 
on it was observed by Mr. McGregor near Lake Rotoiti; by Mr. T. Kirk between 
Takaka and Riwaka ; and by myself near the source of the Takaka River, and along 
the valley of the Upper Motueka and its tributaries. It has also been gathered by 
Mr. Townson in the valley of the Fox, between the Paparoa Range and the sea, the 
most western locality I am acquainted with. The species is thus a plant of north- 
west Nelson, and is confined to humid inland valleys from Collingwood southwards 
to the Grey River; its altitudinal range being from 200 ft. to a little above 
3,000 ft. 
S. Hectori is a most distinct species, not closely allied to any other. Its nearest 
relative is probably the equally handsome S. Kirkiz, which has a very similar 
inflorescence, and the ligules of the ray-florets are white in both species. But the 
habit of the two plants is altogether different. S. Karki is perfectly smooth and 
glabrous, with almost fleshy leaves, whereas S. Hectori is more or less tomentose, 
and the leaves are thin and membranous. Again, S. Hectori has the remarkable 
character of the leaves being pinnate or pinnatifid for a short distance at the very 
base, all the rest of the leaf being acutely toothed, whereas in S. Kirk the leaves 
are either quite entire or sinuate-dentate above the middle only. 
The limited geographical distribution of many species of Senecio has often been 
commented upon, and excellent examples are afforded by the shrubby species found 
in New Zealand. Thus the subject of this plate is confined to a narrow strip of 
north-west Nelson. S. myrianthos is only known from a few wooded ravines in the 
Cape Colville Peninsula. S. perdicioides is strictly limited to the Kast Cape district. 
S. Huntii has never been found except in the Chatham Islands ; while its near ally 
S. Stewartie exists only on the Snares, the Solanders, and the little Herekopere Island, 
in Foveaux Strait. S. Greyii and S. compactus are confined to a small portion of 
the east coast of the Wellington Provincial District. S. revolutus is only known 
from the extreme south-west of Otago; while the remarkable S. bifistulosus has 
never been gathered save in Dusky Sound. No other genus found in New Zealand 
can show such a number of conspicuous species with such narrow geographical 
ranges. 
Prats 112. Senecio Hectori, drawn from specimens collected by the Graham River, north-west 
Nelson. Fig. 1, ray-floret (x 2); 2, disc-floret (x 2); 3, disc-floret (x 4); 4, pappus-hair (x 8) ; 
5, anthers (x 6); 6, style-branches (x 8). 
