Flora of North America species comparison

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Senecio californicus

California butterweed, California ragwort
Habit Annuals, (5–)10–30(–50+) cm (taprooted).
Herbage

glabrous or sparsely tomentose.
Stems

usually single (erect), sometimes 2–6 (branching from bases, arching upward).
Leaves

(sometimes subsucculent) evenly distributed; ± petiolate (proximal);

blades linear-lanceolate to lanceolate 2–5(–7+) × 0.5–2(–3+) cm, bases tapered, margins subpinnatifid to dentate or subentire (mid and distal leaves sessile, bases clasping).
Ray florets

± 13;

corolla laminae 8–11 mm.
Phyllaries

± 21 (sometimes fewer), 5–7(–8) mm, tips black.
Calyculi

of 5–8+ lanceolate to lance-linear or filiform bractlets (0.5–3 mm, usually inconspicuous).
Heads

usually 3–10(–20+) in open, cymiform arrays, sometimes borne singly (depauperate plants).
Cypselae

hirtellous-strigose.
2n

= 40.

Senecio californicus
Phenology Flowering late winter–spring.
Habitat Sandy, dry or drying sites, especially near coast
Elevation 0–1200 m (0–3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Dwarfish, subsucculent plants of Senecio californicus from near the coast have been recognized as S. ammophilus.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 561.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Senecio
Sibling taxa
S. actinella, S. amplectens, S. ampullaceus, S. aphanactis, S. arizonicus, S. aronicoides, S. astephanus, S. atratus, S. bigelovii, S. blochmaniae, 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
Synonyms S. ammophilus, S. californicus var. ammophilus, S. coronopus
Name authority de Candolle: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 6: 426. (1838)
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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