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

hoary ragwort

Habit Perennials, (15–)20–50(–70) cm (rhizomes branched, ± woody). Perennials, 30–120 cm (rhizomes branched, sometimes producing stolons).
Herbage

glabrous.

floccose-tomentose, unevenly glabrescent (persistently hairy on abaxial leaf faces).

Stems

1–(2–4).

usually single, sometimes loosely clustered.

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).

± evenly distributed (basal and proximal sometimes withering before flowering); petiolate (proximal) or sessile;

blades ovoid or oblong to spatulate (usually pinnatifid to pinnatisect, lobes ± lanceolate to linear), (3–)5–12 × (1.5–)2–4 cm, bases tapered to ± truncate, ultimate margins (often revolute) dentate or entire.

Ray florets

± 8 or ± 13;

corolla laminae 5–12 mm.

± 13;

corolla laminae 12–15 mm.

Phyllaries

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

± 13, 5–7 mm, tips green or greenish.

Calyculi

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

of 4–6(–10) bractlets (lengths to 1/2 phyllaries).

Heads

(1–)4–12 in corymbiform arrays.

20–60 in corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

glabrous.

hairy.

2n

= 40.

Senecio crassulus

Senecio erucifolius

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Moist to drying hillsides, meadows, other open places in forest associations Waste grounds
Elevation 2200–3700 m (7200–12100 ft) 0–200+ m (0–700+ ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; SD; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
PA; Old World [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Senecio erucifolius has been introduced occasionally around seaports and has persisted. At present, it appears to be uncommon and highly localized; it should be expected almost any place that its close relative, Senecio jacobaea, occurs.

Senecio erucifolius was treated in Jacobaea by E. Wiebe (2000); see discussion under 53. S. jacobaea.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 551. FNA vol. 20, p. 569.
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. atratus, S. bigelovii, S. blochmaniae, S. californicus, S. cannabifolius, S. clarkianus, S. crassulus, S. elegans, S. elmeri, S. eremophilus, S. ertterae, 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 Jacobaea erucifolia
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 19: 54. (1883) Linnaeus: Fl. Suec. ed. 2, 291. (1755)
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