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butterweed

serpentine groundsel, Siskiyou butterweed, western ragwort

Habit Annuals or biennials, 20–70+ cm; fibrous-rooted (caudices relatively short, weak). Perennials, 7–15+ cm; fibrous-rooted (caudices relatively slender).
Stems

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

1, glabrous or sparsely tomentose.

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;

blades ovate, oblanceolate, or spatulate, 10–30 × 5–20 mm, bases tapering, sometimes obtuse, margins entire, subentire, or dentate.

Cauline leaves

gradually reduced (weakly clasping, similar to basal).

abruptly reduced (sessile, clasping; bractlike, entire).

Peduncles

bracteate, glabrous or bases tomentose.

bracteate (bractlets red-tinged), densely lanate-tomentose.

Ray florets

(8–)13;

corolla laminae 7–9 mm.

(8–)13;

corolla laminae 6–10+ mm.

Disc florets

35–50+;

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

35–50+;

corolla tubes 2.5–3.5 mm, limbs 3–4 mm.

Phyllaries

(13–)21, green, 5–7 mm, glabrous.

(13–)21, green (tips red or dark red), densely tomentose proximally.

Calyculi

conspicuous (bractlets 2.5–4 mm).

conspicuous (bractlets narrow, red-tinged).

Heads

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

1–4+ in corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

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

pappi 3–4 mm.

1.5–2 mm, glabrous;

pappi 5–6 mm.

2n

= 46.

= 46.

Packera glabella

Packera hesperia

Phenology Flowering (Feb–)mid Mar–late May. Flowering mid Apr–mid Jun.
Habitat Open wet areas, edges of woodlands, stream banks, roadsides, meadows, marshes, fallow fields Serpentine derived soils, open woodland scrub
Elevation 0–600 m (0–2000 ft) 500–2500 m (1600–8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MO; MS; NC; NE; OH; OK; SC; TN; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

Of conservation concern.

Packera hesperia is known only from the Siskiyou Mountains.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 588. FNA vol. 20, p. 589.
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. crocata, 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. 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 hesperius, Senecio auleticus
Name authority (Poiret) C. Jeffrey: Kew Bull. 47: 101. (1992) (Greene) W. A. Weber & Á. Löve: Phytologia 49: 47. (1981)
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