First record of Youngia japonica (L.) DC. (Asteraceae: Tribe Cichorieae) in Aotearoa / New Zealand

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Abstract
We report the first verified records of Youngia japonica subsp. japonica (Asteraceae: Tribe Cichorieae) in northern Aotearoa / New Zealand. Five populations have been discovered across Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland and Te Tai Tokerau / Northland. Specimens were identified using morphological characteristics consistent with flora descriptions, and verified through sequencing using nrDNA ITS (ITS1 and ITS2 spacer regions) and the chloroplast trnH-psbA intergenic spacer. The presence of Youngia japonica in Aotearoa extends its known distribution into the southwestern Pacific, and adds to the growing body of evidence that imported coco peat ‘soils’ are adding to the weed flora of the country. We also explore the potential weediness of Youngia in Aotearoa.