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alpine groundsel, showy alpine ragwort

Senecio neowebsteri

Olympic Mountain ragwort

Habit Perennials, (5–)10–60 cm (rhizomatous or with branched caudices). Perennials, 7–15(–20+) cm (rhizomes fibrous-rooted).
Herbage

(often purplish-tinged) glabrous or sparsely and unevenly hairy, especially near leaf axils and among heads, usually glabrescent.

(sometimes purplish-tinged) floccose-tomentose, unevenly glabrescent.

Stems

single or loosely clustered.

single or loosely clustered (erect or arching).

Leaves

usually progressively reduced distally (basal sometimes smaller than proximal or mid leaves); petiolate (petioles shorter than to equaling blades, often clasping);

blades broadly lanceolate or lanceolate to oblanceolate, (5–)10–20+ × 2–4(–5+) cm, bases tapered, margins dentate to denticulate (distal leaves smaller, bractlike).

mostly cauline; petiolate (petioles about equaling blades);

blades lanceolate or oblanceolate to ovate, (2–)4–8+ × 1.5–3 cm, bases tapered, margins denticulate (distal leaves smaller, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, bractlike).

Ray florets

usually ± 13, sometimes fewer;

corolla laminae (10–)15–25 mm.

± 13;

corolla laminae ± 15 mm.

Phyllaries

± 13 or ± 21, tips often black or brownish (sometimes with scattered black hairs).

usually ± 21, sometimes ± 13, (8–)10–15 mm, tips usually greenish (often sparsely hairy).

Calyculi

of 2–5+ linear to filiform bractlets (lengths to 1/2 phyllaries).

of 4–8 lanceolate to lance-linear bractlets (lengths mostly less than 1/2 phyllaries).

Heads

nodding, 1–5(–10).

nodding, 1(–2).

Cypselae

glabrous.

glabrous.

2n

= 40, ca. 175–180.

= 40.

Senecio amplectens

Senecio neowebsteri

Phenology Flowering late summer–early fall.
Habitat High talus slopes
Elevation 2200–2600 m (7200–8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; MT; NM; NV; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

The varieties of Senecio amplectens are distinguished by morphologic tendencies and habitat preferences; there are many intermediates. Where the ranges of the two overlap, var. amplectens occurs at slightly lower elevations than var. holmii.

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

Of conservation concern.

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

Key
1. Plants (30–)40–60+; herbage sometimes sparsely hairy; leaves mostly proximal and mid cauline; phyllaries frequently black or purplish toward tips, sometimes with black hairs on abaxial faces
var. amplectens
1. Plants (5–)10–20(–30) cm; herbage glabrous or glabrate at flowering; leaves mostly basal and proximal; phyllaries green or light purplish, glabrous
var. holmii
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 552. FNA vol. 20, p. 553.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Senecio Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Senecio
Sibling taxa
S. actinella, S. ampullaceus, S. aphanactis, S. arizonicus, S. aronicoides, S. astephanus, S. atratus, S. bigelovii, S. blochmaniae, S. californicus, S. cannabifolius, S. clarkianus, S. crassulus, S. elegans, S. elmeri, S. eremophilus, S. ertterae, S. erucifolius, S. flaccidus, S. fremontii, S. hydrophiloides, S. hydrophilus, S. integerrimus, S. jacobaea, S. lemmonii, S. lugens, S. lyonii, S. megacephalus, S. mohavensis, S. multidentatus, S. neowebsteri, S. parryi, S. pattersonensis, S. pseudoarnica, S. pudicus, S. quaylei, S. rapifolius, S. riddellii, S. sacramentanus, S. scorzonella, S. serra, S. sheldonensis, S. soldanella, S. spartioides, S. sphaerocephalus, S. spribillei, S. squalidus, S. sylvaticus, S. taraxacoides, S. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
S. actinella, S. amplectens, S. ampullaceus, S. aphanactis, S. arizonicus, S. aronicoides, S. astephanus, S. atratus, S. bigelovii, S. blochmaniae, S. californicus, S. cannabifolius, S. clarkianus, S. crassulus, S. elegans, S. elmeri, S. eremophilus, S. ertterae, S. erucifolius, S. flaccidus, S. fremontii, S. hydrophiloides, S. hydrophilus, S. integerrimus, S. jacobaea, S. lemmonii, S. lugens, S. lyonii, S. megacephalus, S. mohavensis, S. multidentatus, S. parryi, S. pattersonensis, S. pseudoarnica, S. pudicus, S. quaylei, S. rapifolius, S. riddellii, S. sacramentanus, S. scorzonella, S. serra, S. sheldonensis, S. soldanella, S. spartioides, S. sphaerocephalus, S. spribillei, S. squalidus, S. sylvaticus, S. taraxacoides, S. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Subordinate taxa
S. amplectens var. amplectens, S. amplectens var. holmii
Synonyms Ligularia amplectens S. websteri
Name authority A. Gray: Amer. J. Sci. Arts, ser. 2, 33: 240. (1862) S. F. Blake: Leafl. W. Bot. 8: 143. (1957)
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