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butterweed

saffron ragwort

Habit Annuals or biennials, 20–70+ cm; fibrous-rooted (caudices relatively short, weak). Perennials, 20–60+ cm; perennating bases horizontal to ascending (relatively long and stout).
Stems

1 (striated, frequently hollow, often pink- to purple-tinged), glabrous or leaf axils sparsely tomentose.

usually 1, rarely 2–3, clustered, glabrous.

Basal leaves

(and proximal cauline) obscurely petiolate;

blades obovate to oblanceolate, sometimes lyrate (lateral lobes to 5 pairs, terminal lobes larger than laterals), 50–150+ × 10–30+ mm, bases tapering, ultimate margins crenate to irregularly undulate.

(and proximal cauline) petiolate (petioles narrow);

blades narrowly lanceolate or ovate to oblong-ovate, 20–60+ × 10–40+ mm, bases abruptly contracted to tapering, margins subentire to crenate-dentate.

Cauline leaves

gradually reduced (weakly clasping, similar to basal).

gradually reduced (sessile, weakly clasping; lanceolate to oblong or sublyrate, often pinnately lobed).

Peduncles

bracteate, glabrous or bases tomentose.

ebracteate or bracteate (bractlets inconspicuous), glabrous.

Ray florets

(8–)13;

corolla laminae 7–9 mm.

8 or 13;

corolla laminae (deep yellow to orange-red) 6–8+ mm.

Disc florets

35–50+;

corolla tubes 2.5–3.5 mm, limbs 2–3 mm.

60–80+;

corolla tubes 4.5–5.5 mm, limbs 2.5–3.5 mm.

Phyllaries

(13–)21, green, 5–7 mm, glabrous.

13 or 21, light green (or tips cyanic), 4–8 mm, glabrous.

Calyculi

conspicuous (bractlets 2.5–4 mm).

0 or inconspicuous.

Heads

8–30+ in umbelliform or cymiform arrays (robust plants with multiple arrays).

7–15+ in open, corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

1–1.5 mm, sparsely hirtellous on ribs or glabrous;

pappi 3–4 mm.

1–1.5 mm, glabrous;

pappi 3–5 mm.

2n

= 46.

= 46.

Packera glabella

Packera crocata

Phenology Flowering (Feb–)mid Mar–late May. Flowering early Jul–mid Aug.
Habitat Open wet areas, edges of woodlands, stream banks, roadsides, meadows, marshes, fallow fields Wet meadows, along trails, rocky outcrops
Elevation 0–600 m (0–2000 ft) 1800–3500 m (5900–11500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MO; MS; NC; NE; OH; OK; SC; TN; TX
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[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ID; NM; NV; UT; WY
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Packera glabella is common and almost weedy in wet, partially shaded places. The hollow, striated stems of P. glabella are distinctive.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Packera crocata is characterized by deep yellow to reddish orange corollas. Some collectors have noted that there may be evidence for hybridization between P. crocata and P. dimorphophylla; the relationship between the two species needs further study.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 588. FNA vol. 20, p. 583.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Packera
Sibling taxa
P. anonyma, P. antennariifolia, P. aurea, P. bernardina, P. bolanderi, P. breweri, P. cana, P. cardamine, P. castoreus, P. clevelandii, P. contermina, P. crocata, P. cymbalaria, P. cynthioides, P. debilis, P. dimorphophylla, P. eurycephala, P. fendleri, P. flettii, P. franciscana, P. ganderi, P. greenei, P. hartiana, P. hesperia, P. hyperborealis, P. indecora, P. ionophylla, P. layneae, P. macounii, P. malmstenii, P. millefolium, P. millelobata, P. multilobata, P. musiniensis, P. neomexicana, P. obovata, P. ogotorukensis, P. pauciflora, P. paupercula, P. plattensis, P. porteri, P. pseudaurea, P. quercetorum, P. sanguisorboides, P. schweinitziana, P. spellenbergii, P. streptanthifolia, P. subnuda, P. tampicana, P. texensis, P. tomentosa, P. tridenticulata, P. werneriifolia
P. anonyma, P. antennariifolia, P. aurea, P. bernardina, P. bolanderi, P. breweri, P. cana, P. cardamine, P. castoreus, P. clevelandii, P. contermina, P. cymbalaria, P. cynthioides, P. debilis, P. dimorphophylla, P. eurycephala, P. fendleri, P. flettii, P. franciscana, P. ganderi, P. glabella, P. greenei, P. hartiana, P. hesperia, P. hyperborealis, P. indecora, P. ionophylla, P. layneae, P. macounii, P. malmstenii, P. millefolium, P. millelobata, P. multilobata, P. musiniensis, P. neomexicana, P. obovata, P. ogotorukensis, P. pauciflora, P. paupercula, P. plattensis, P. porteri, P. pseudaurea, P. quercetorum, P. sanguisorboides, P. schweinitziana, P. spellenbergii, P. streptanthifolia, P. subnuda, P. tampicana, P. texensis, P. tomentosa, P. tridenticulata, P. werneriifolia
Synonyms Senecio glabellus, Senecio carolinianus, Senecio densiflorus, Senecio lobatus, Senecio lyratus, Senecio mississipianus Senecio crocatus, Senecio pyrrhochrous, Senecio tracyi
Name authority (Poiret) C. Jeffrey: Kew Bull. 47: 101. (1992) (Rydberg) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 46. (1981)
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