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

tall blacktip ragwort

Habit Perennials, (15–)20–50(–70) cm (rhizomes branched, ± woody). Perennials, (20–)35–70(–80+) cm (rhizomes or caudices branched, erect to weakly creeping).
Herbage

glabrous.

floccose-tomentose to canescent, sometimes unevenly glabrescent.

Stems

1–(2–4).

1–(2–5).

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 oblong-ovate to oblanceolate, (5–)10–30 × 1.5–4(–6) cm, bases tapered, margins dentate (denticles, dark, callous; mid leaves similar, sessile, smaller; distal leaves bractlike).

Ray florets

± 8 or ± 13;

corolla laminae 5–12 mm.

(± 3) ± 5;

corolla laminae 5–8 mm.

Phyllaries

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

(± 5) ± 8, 6–8 mm, tips black.

Calyculi

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

of 2–5 linear bractlets (lengths to 1/3 phyllaries).

Heads

(1–)4–12 in corymbiform arrays.

20–60+ in corymbiform or subpaniculiform arrays.

Cypselae

glabrous.

glabrous.

2n

= 40.

= 40. (A report of 2n = 46 is presumably erroneous.)

Senecio crassulus

Senecio atratus

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering late spring–early fall.
Habitat Moist to drying hillsides, meadows, other open places in forest associations Dry or drying, rocky or sandy sites in coniferous areas, especially sites with frequent disturbance
Elevation 2200–3700 m (7200–12100 ft) 2800–4000 m (9200–13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; SD; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; NM; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 551. FNA vol. 20, p. 554.
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. aronicoides, S. astephanus, 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. atratus var. milleflorus, S. milleflorus
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 19: 54. (1883) Greene: Pittonia 3: 105. (1896)
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