Flora of North America species comparison

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Senecio aphanactis

Senecio squalidus

California groundsel, chaparral ragwort, rayless ragwort

oxford ragwort
Habit Annuals, 5–20+ cm (taproots relatively short and thin). Annuals (or perennials), 15–60+ cm (taprooted).
Herbage

glabrous or sparsely tomentose (especially distally).

sparsely, unevenly floccose to subglabrous, glabrescent.
Stems

usually 1 (relatively thin, delicate).

single (branching distally).
Leaves

evenly distributed;

sessile;

blades oblanceolate to lance-linear, 2–4 × 0.5–1 cm, bases sometimes weakly clasping, margins usually subpinnate to dentate, sometimes subentire (distal leaves bractlike).

evenly distributed; petiolate (proximal, petioles ± winged);

blades obovate to oblong, 4–10 × 2–4+ cm, mostly lyrate-pinnatifid to pinnate, bases tapered, ultimate margins dentate (distal leaves similar, smaller, sessile).
Ray florets

0 or 1–5;

corolla laminae 0.5–1+ mm (barely surpassing phyllaries, heads perhaps technically disciform).

± 13;

corolla laminae 5–8 mm.
Phyllaries

± 8 or ± 13, 5–6 mm, tips greenish.

(± 13) ± 21, 5–6+ mm, tips black.
Calyculi

0 or of 1–3+ lance-deltate bractlets.

of 4–10+ bractlets (1–2+ mm).
Heads

4–10+ in open, cymiform arrays.

(3–)6–20 in open, cymiform arrays.
Cypselae

densely hairy.

usually hairy.
2n

= 40.

= 20.

Senecio aphanactis

Senecio squalidus
Phenology Flowering late winter–spring. Flowering late winter–spring or fall.
Habitat Dry, open ground, especially alkaline flats Disturbed sites (in regions of cool, damp climates)
Elevation 10–400 m (0–1300 ft) 0–300 m (0–1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NS; Europe [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

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

Senecio squalidus is native in Europe, where it is a common weed. It is apparently established in the San Francisco Bay area, California and has been reported from British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. It is to be expected elsewhere.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 563. FNA vol. 20, p. 560.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Senecio Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Senecio
Sibling taxa
S. actinella, S. amplectens, S. ampullaceus, 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. 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. sylvaticus, S. taraxacoides, S. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 1: 220. (1888) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 869. (1753)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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