Sonchus lobatiflorus

Sonchus lobatiflorus, synonym Dendroseris gigantea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to the Juan Fernández Islands. It is threatened by habitat loss. Sonchus lobatiflorus has one plant representative left on Selkirk island, although it is being artificially planted on Robinson Crusoe Island.

Taxonomy

The species was first described in 1896 by Federico Johow as Dendroseris gigantea. The genus Dendroseris was considered endemic to the Juan Fernández Islands. In 2012, based on molecular phylogenetic evidence, it was shown that Dendroseris was embedded within the genus Sonchus, and all its species were transferred to that genus. As the combination Sonchus giganteus had already been used for a different species, the replacement name Sonchus lobatiflorus was published.