Senecio longipilus (longhair fireweed) is a perennial herb that was presumed to be extinct in Tasmania until it was re-discovered in late 2019 at St Patricks Plains. On mainland Australia the species occurs in grassland, herbfields, shrubland and woodland, mostly at elevations over 1,000 m but sometimes in lowland areas. In Tasmania, the two presumed extinct sites are in lowland locations and the St Patricks Plains site occurs in herb-rich Poa-dominated native grassland on basalt at an elevation of 870 m. The single known extant subpopulation occupies approximately 35 ha, with an estimated 330 to 570 mature individuals recorded to date, the small size of the population placing the species at risk from chance events. Appropriate management of the known occurrence, extension surveys to detect novel occurrences and monitoring to better understand threats and management needs are considered the key management objectives.
