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 nameCommon 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

Introduced species - Considered locally present [3] [5]
Latin nameCommon 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 nameCommon nameYear last seenLocation
Aegilops sp.Goat grass1961Grytviken
Alchemilla monticola Velvet lady's mantle1992Husvik
Allium schoenoprasum Chives2015Leith
Alopecurus magellanicus Marsh foxtail1968Grytviken
Artemisia sp Mugwort1967Grytviken
Avena fatua Wild-oat1961Grytviken
Brassica cf. napus Rape1961Grytviken
Carum carvi Caraway1968Grytviken
Centella sp. Centella1967Grytviken
Cerastium arvense Field mouse-ear1970Grytviken
Daucus carota Carrot1967Grytviken
Festuca ovina Sheep's fescue1981Husvik
Festuca perennis Italian rye-grass1961Grytviken
Hypericum tetrapterum Square-stemmed St. John's wort2005Husvik
Lactuca sp. Wild lettuce1971Grytviken
Lamium purpureum Red dead-nettle1969King Edward Point
Lolium temulentum Darnel rye-grass1961Leith
Lotus corniculatus Bird's foot trefoil1992Husvik
Lupinus sp. Lupin1961Leith
Matricaria discoidea Pineapple weed1979King Edward Point
Phleum pratense Timothy grass1961Husvik
Pisum sativum Pea1961King Edward point
Plantago sp. Hoary plantain1967Grytviken
Raphanus sp. Radish1968Grytviken
Rorippa islandica Northern yellow-cress1971Grytviken
Rumex alpinus Alpine dock1961Leith
Senecio vulgaris Common groundsel1967King Edward Point
Sinapis arvensis Charlock1979King Edward Point
Solanum tuberosum Potato1967Grytviken
Sonchus sp. Sow thistle1979King Edward Point
Stellaria graminea Grass leaf-starwort1964Husvik
Thlaspi arvense Field penny-cress1961Husvik
Trifolium hybridum Alsike clover1980Leith
Urtica dioica Common nettle1967Leith
Urtica urens Annual nettle1961Grytviken

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References

  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. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 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. 1 2 3 "South Georgia Flora Guide". 18 January 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)