Flora of South Georgia

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This is a list of the flora of South Georgia, an island in the subantarctic Atlantic Ocean, part of the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.[1][2][3] There are 26 native plant species, and there has been 76 species of introduced plants recorded on the island.

Introduced species tend to be located in the areas of human settlement, such as the former sealing and whaling stations.

Spore producing plants[4][5]
Common name
Blechnum penna-marina Antarctic hard-fern or small fern
Cystopteris fragilis Brittle bladder-fern or common fragile fern
Grammitis poeppigeana Strap fern
Hymenophyllum falklandicum Filmy fern
Lycopodium magellanicum Magellanic clubmoss
Ophioglossum crotalophoroides Adder's tongue
Polystichum mohrioides Shield-fern
Seed plants[4][5]
Latin name Common name
Acaena magellanica Greater burnet
Acaena magellanica × tenera Hybrid burnet
Acaena tenera Lesser burnet
Alopecurus magellanicus Antarctic foxtail
Callitriche antarctica Antarctic starwort
Colobanthus quitensis Antarctic pearlwort
Colobanthus subulatus Lesser pearlwort or sessile pearlwort or emerald bog
Deschampsia antarctica Antarctic hair-grass
Festuca contracta Tufted fescue
Galium antarcticum Antarctic bedstraw
Juncus inconspicuous Lesser rush
Juncus scheuchzerioides Greater native rush
Montia fontana Water blinks
Phleum alpinum Alpine cats-tail
Poa flabellata Tussac grass
Ranunculus biternatus Antarctic buttercup
Rostkovia magellanica Brown (or short) rush
Uncinia macrolepis Smith's sedge

Introduced species[edit]

Introduced species - Considered locally present[3][5]
Latin name Common name
Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Achillea ptarmica Sneezewort
Agrostis capillaris Common bent
Agrostis vinealis Brown bent
Anthoxanthum odoratum Sweet vernal grass
Anthriscus sylvestris Cow parsley
Capsella bursa-pastoris Shephard's purse
Cardamine glacialis Bittercress
Carex aquatilis Water sedge
Carex nigra Common sedge
Carex vallis-pulchrae Marsh sedge
Cerastium fontanum Common mouse-eared chickweed
Dactylis glomerata Cocksfoot
Deschampsia cespitosa Tufted hair-grass
Deschampsia flexuosa Wavy hair-grass
Deschampsia parvula Punkgrass
Elymus repens Couch grass
Empetrum rubrum Diddle-dee
Festuca rubra Red fescue
Hypericum sp. St. John's wort
Juncus filiformis Thread rush
Leptinella scariosa Feathery buttonweed
Lobelia pratiana Berry lobelia
Luzula multiflora Heath wood-rush
Nardus stricta Mat grass
Poa annua Annual meadow grass
Poa pratensis Smooth meadow grass
Poa trivialis Rough meadow grass
Ranunculus acris Meadow buttercup
Ranunculus repens Creeping buttercup
Rumex acetosella Sheep's sorrel
Rumex crispus Curled dock
Sagina procumbens Procumbent pearlwort
Stellaria media Common chickweed
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion
Trifolium repens White clover
Tripleurospermum inodorum Scentless mayweed
Trisetum spicatum Spikey trisetum
Vaccinium vitis-idaea Cowberry
Veronica serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved speedwell
Introduced species - Considered locally extinct[3]
Latin name Common name Year last seen Location
Aegilops sp. Goat grass 1961 Grytviken
Alchemilla monticola Velvet lady's mantle 1992 Husvik
Allium schoenoprasum Chives 2015 Leith
Alopecurus magellanicus Marsh foxtail 1968 Grytviken
Artemisia sp Mugwort 1967 Grytviken
Avena fatua Wild-oat 1961 Grytviken
Brassica cf. napus Rape 1961 Grytviken
Carum carvi Caraway 1968 Grytviken
Centella sp. Centella 1967 Grytviken
Cerastium arvense Field mouse-ear 1970 Grytviken
Daucus carota Carrot 1967 Grytviken
Festuca ovina Sheep's fescue 1981 Husvik
Festuca perennis Italian rye-grass 1961 Grytviken
Hypericum tetrapterum Square-stemmed St. John's wort 2005 Husvik
Lactuca sp. Wild lettuce 1971 Grytviken
Lamium purpureum Red dead-nettle 1969 King Edward Point
Lolium temulentum Darnel rye-grass 1961 Leith
Lotus corniculatus Bird's foot trefoil 1992 Husvik
Lupinus sp. Lupin 1961 Leith
Matricaria discoidea Pineapple weed 1979 King Edward Point
Phleum pratense Timothy grass 1961 Husvik
Pisum sativum Pea 1961 King Edward point
Plantago sp. Hoary plantain 1967 Grytviken
Raphanus sp. Radish 1968 Grytviken
Rorippa islandica Northern yellow-cress 1971 Grytviken
Rumex alpinus Alpine dock 1961 Leith
Senecio vulgaris Common groundsel 1967 King Edward Point
Sinapis arvensis Charlock 1979 King Edward Point
Solanum tuberosum Potato 1967 Grytviken
Sonchus sp. Sow thistle 1979 King Edward Point
Stellaria graminea Grass leaf-starwort 1964 Husvik
Thlaspi arvense Field penny-cress 1961 Husvik
Trifolium hybridum Alsike clover 1980 Leith
Urtica dioica Common nettle 1967 Leith
Urtica urens Annual nettle 1961 Grytviken

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Terrestrial flora of South Georgia and Antarctica" (PDF). British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Terrestrial/Plants – Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands". Retrieved 3 October 2019. South Georgia is home to just 25 species of native vascular plant, none of which are endemic. The poorly developed vascular plant flora is probably as a consequence of the island's isolation from major landmasses and the relatively harsh year-round climate. In contrast there are around 125 species of moss, 85 liverworts and more than 200 species of lichen.
  3. ^ a b c Upson, Rebecca; Myer, Bradley; Floyd, Kelvin; Lee, Jennifer; Clubbe, Colin (2017). Field guide to the introduced flora of South Georgia. Richmond, Surrey, UK: Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens. ISBN 978-1-84246-652-0. OCLC 1007331209.
  4. ^ a b Galbraith, Deirdre. (2011). A field guide to the flora of South Georgia. Great Britain: South Georgia Heritage Trust. ISBN 978-0-9564546-0-7. OCLC 714041780.
  5. ^ a b c "South Georgia Flora Guide". 18 January 2021.