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mountain meadow butterweed, thick-leaf groundsel, thick-leaf ragwort

butterweed, rayless groundsel, rayless ragwort

Habit Perennials, (15–)20–50(–70) cm (rhizomes branched, ± woody). Perennials (biennials?), 30–90 cm (caudices buttonlike, roots unbranched, fleshy-fibrous).
Herbage

glabrous.

loosely and sparsely arachnose to finely tomentose, unevenly glabrescent.

Stems

1–(2–4).

single.

Leaves

(thickish-turgid) progressively reduced distally; petiolate;

blades broadly lanceolate to subelliptic, 2.5–15 × 1–5 cm, bases tapered, margins sharply dentate to subentire (some teeth callous; mid leaves sometimes larger than proximal; distal leaves sessile, smaller, often clasping).

progressively reduced distally; petiolate;

blades ovate or oblanceolate to oblong, 7–20 × 2–3 cm, bases broadly to narrowly tapered, margins repand-denticulate or sublaciniate to subentire (mid and distal leaves sessile, smaller, weakly clasping).

Ray florets

± 8 or ± 13;

corolla laminae 5–12 mm.

0 or 1–2;

corolla laminae 4–7 mm.

Phyllaries

(± 8) ± 13 or ± 21, 5–9 mm, tips black (villous).

± 8 or ± 13, 4–8 mm, tips green or black.

Calyculi

of (1–)3–6 linear to filiform bractlets (lengths to 1/3 phyllaries).

0 or of 1–3+ oblong to linear bractlets (seldom more than 1.5 mm).

Heads

(1–)4–12 in corymbiform arrays.

(6–)15–30+ in corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

glabrous.

glabrous.

2n

= 40.

= 40.

Senecio crassulus

Senecio aronicoides

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat Moist to drying hillsides, meadows, other open places in forest associations Dry or drying sites in open woodlands, upper foothills and montane forests
Elevation 2200–3700 m (7200–12100 ft) 800–2500 m (2600–8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; SD; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 551. FNA vol. 20, p. 556.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Senecioneae > Senecio 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. californicus, S. cannabifolius, S. clarkianus, 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. 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
Synonyms S. lapathifolius, S. semiamplexicaulis S. leptolepis, S. rawsonianus
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 19: 54. (1883) de Candolle: in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 6: 426. (1838)
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