Buffalo Sallow-wattle vs climbing groundsel

Acacia phlebophylla compared with Senecio angulatus

Key Differences

• Buffalo Sallow-wattle is Critically Endangered while climbing groundsel is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Buffalo Sallow-wattle	climbing groundsel
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Fabaceae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Acacia	Senecio
Species	Acacia phlebophylla	Senecio angulatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Buffalo Sallow-wattle and climbing groundsel share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Buffalo Sallow-wattle

CR — Critically Endangered

climbing groundsel

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Buffalo Sallow-wattle	climbing groundsel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Buffalo Sallow-wattle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

climbing groundsel

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (10 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Chile).

Buffalo Sallow-wattle

The Buffalo Sallow-Wattle (Acacia phlebophylla) is a species in the genus Acacia. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

climbing groundsel

Climbing Groundsel, Senecio angulatus, is a woody, scrambling perennial vine in the family Asteraceae native to South Africa, particularly the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, where it grows in coastal scrub, fynbos margins, and forest edges. The species produces yellow daisy-like flower heads in terminal clusters from autumn through spring, which are followed by fluffy white achenes dispersed by wind. Climbing Groundsel has become widely naturalized and highly invasive in many parts of the world where it has been introduced as a garden ornamental, including Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Europe. In Australia, it is listed as a major environmental weed in southeastern states, particularly New South Wales and Victoria, where it invades coastal heath, dry sclerophyll forest, and urban bush remnants, smothering native vegetation with dense scrambling growth. The plant regenerates readily from stem fragments and produces abundant wind-dispersed seeds. Control in invaded habitats requires sustained effort combining physical removal and herbicide application. In its native South African range, Senecio angulatus is part of diverse coastal scrub communities and is not considered threatened. The genus Senecio is one of the largest flowering plant genera in the world, with species ranging from annuals to giant tree groundsels in tropical alpine zones.