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California groundsel, chaparral ragwort, rayless ragwort

arrow-leaf groundsel, arrow-leaf ragwort, arrowleaf butterweed, groundsel

Habit Annuals, 5–20+ cm (taproots relatively short and thin). Perennials, (20–)50–120(–200) cm (caudices branched, ± woody).
Herbage

glabrous or sparsely tomentose (especially distally).

glabrous or sparsely floccose-tomentose when young.

Stems

usually 1 (relatively thin, delicate).

single or loosely clustered.

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;

blades narrowly triangular, (3–)4–10+ × 2–6 cm, bases usually ± truncate, sometimes tapered, margins usually dentate, rarely subentire (distal leaves subsessile, smaller).

Ray florets

0 or 1–5;

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

± 8;

corolla laminae 9–15 mm.

Phyllaries

± 8 or ± 13, 5–6 mm, tips greenish.

(± 8) ± 13 (± 21), 6–10 mm, tips usually green, rarely black.

Calyculi

0 or of 1–3+ lance-deltate bractlets.

of 2–6 bractlets (rarely more than 2 mm).

Heads

4–10+ in open, cymiform arrays.

10–30(–60) in corymbiform to subracemiform arrays.

Cypselae

densely hairy.

glabrous.

2n

= 40.

= 40, 80.

Senecio aphanactis

Senecio triangularis

Phenology Flowering late winter–spring. Flowering summer.
Habitat Dry, open ground, especially alkaline flats Damp places, open woodlands, especially rocky stream banks in coniferous forests
Elevation 10–400 m (0–1300 ft) 100–3300 m (300–10800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; YT; PH
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

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

Plants of Senecio triangularis with narrow, subentire leaves that taper to the petioles are occasionally encountered in acid bogs in Oregon and Washington and less frequently elsewhere. They are regarded as edaphic variants; they have been recognized as var. angustifolius.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 563. FNA vol. 20, p. 566.
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. squalidus, S. sylvaticus, S. taraxacoides, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Synonyms S. gibbonsii, S. saliens, S. triangularis var. angustifolius
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 1: 220. (1888) Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 332, plate 115. (1834)
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