Senecio angulatus
Climbing groundsel (not in NZ). German ivy has been renamed Cape ivy in some countries.
Hairless climber, leaves sagittate, flowers yellow panicles in winter. No auricle at base of petiole. Spreads rapidly by runners.
Flowers similar to ragwort; leaves and growth to other “ivies”. German ivy, S. mikanoides, is very similar but with auricles at the base of the leaf stalks; it also has groundsel type flowers.
Locally common in coastal waste ground all over NZ. It has recently spread rapidly and is a noxious weed in most areas.
As the plant is closely related to ragwort, pyrrolizidine alkaloids may be present.
No cases recorded in NZ.
