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stinking willie, tansy ragwort

ballhead ragwort, mountain marsh butterweed

Habit Herbs perennial, 2–8(10) dm; caudices ± woody, branching, rhizomatous. Herbs perennial, (3)4–8 dm; caudices ± woody, branching, with stout rhizomes.
Stems

1, or rarely 2–4 and loosely clustered, often purple-tinged, sparsely and unevenly tomentose.

1, tomentose or unevenly glabrate.

Leaves

basal usually withering before flowering;

cauline ± evenly distributed along stems;

distal slightly smaller; ovate to broadly ovate, bases tapered, usually 1–3-pinnate, ultimate margins dentate;

lobes obovate to spatulate, petiolate.

mostly basal;

basal present at flowering;

cauline reduced distally;

distal much reduced and bract-like, oblanceolate to elliptic, bases tapered;

margins weakly dentate or denticulate with callous denticles;

surfaces sparsely tomentose to nearly glabrous, petiolate.

Inflorescences

compound corymb-like arrays;

bracts conspicuous but small.

corymb-like arrays;

bracts conspicuous.

Involucres

widely cylindric or urn-shaped.

campanulate.

Ray florets

~13;

rays 8–12 mm.

~13;

rays 6–10 mm.

Disc florets

60–70+.

25–35+.

Phyllaries

13, 3–4(5);

tips black or dark green.

(13)21, 3–7 mm;

tips black or dark brown.

Calyculi

2–6 bractlets, inconspicuous, usually < 2 mm.

1–5 bractlets, 2–3 mm.

Fruits

0.75–1.3 mm, sparsely hairy or glabrous.

1.5–2.5 mm, usually hairy, sometimes glabrous.

Heads

(10)20–60+.

(3)5–24, usually > 10.

2n

=40.

=40.

Senecio jacobaea

Senecio sphaerocephalus

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Disturbed areas, pastures, roadsides. Flowering May–Sep. 0–1600 m. Casc, CR, Est, Sisk, WV. CA, ID, WA; north to British Columbia, northeast to MT, northeastern North America; Europe. Exotic.

Senecio jacobea is an introduced weed, originally from Europe. It establishes in places with cool, wet summers and is particularly toxic to livestock. In most states where it occurs, this species has been declared a noxious weed.

Open meadows, near conifer forests. Flowering Jun–Jul. 1100–1700 m. BW. ID, NV; northeast to MT, east to WY, southeast to CO. Native.

Although Senecio sphaerocephalus has been collected in Oregon, it is relatively rare within the state and more abundant in the more easterly parts of its range.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 340
Debra Trock
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 340
Debra Trock
Sibling taxa
S. aronicoides, S. crassulus, S. ertterae, S. fremontii, S. hydrophiloides, S. hydrophilus, S. integerrimus, S. serra, S. sphaerocephalus, S. sylvaticus, S. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris
S. aronicoides, S. crassulus, S. ertterae, S. fremontii, S. hydrophiloides, S. hydrophilus, S. integerrimus, S. jacobaea, S. serra, S. sylvaticus, S. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris
Synonyms Jacobaea vulgaris
Web links