Flora of North America species comparison

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Senecio elmeri

Senecio spribillei

Elmer's butterweed, Elmer's ragwort
Habit Perennials, 10–20(–30) cm (rhizomes trailing or branching). Perennials, 5–20 cm (caudices branched).
Herbage

unevenly villous-tomentose or floccose, glabrescent.

glabrous.
Stems

single (from loosely clustered basal leaves).

usually single.
Leaves

progressively reduced distally; ± petiolate;

blades ovate to oblanceolate, (3–)4–8(–10) × 2–3(–4) cm, bases tapered, margins shallowly dentate (mid and distal leaves smaller, bractlike, often clasping).

progressively reduced distally (basal and proximal withering before flowering); petiolate (petioles purplish, weakly winged, 4–5 cm);

blades broadly triangular-ovate to suborbiculate, 2–4(–5) × 2.5–3 cm, bases truncate to ± cuneate, margins coarsely spinulose-dentate (mid leaves similar, persistent).
Ray florets

± 8;

corolla laminae 8–15 mm.

“few”;

corolla laminae ca. 7 mm (inconspicuous, equaling or barely surpassing phyllaries).
Phyllaries

(± 8) ± 13, 8–10 mm, tips black (villous).

± 13, 7–9 mm, tips green.
Calyculi

of 2–7 lance-linear to linear bractlets (lengths 1/3–2/3 phyllaries).

of “few,” linear bractlets.
Heads

erect or weakly nodding (especially in bud), (2–)5–9(–12) in loose, cymiform arrays.

nodding, 4–6.
Cypselae

glabrous.

glabrous.
2n

= 40.

Senecio elmeri

Senecio spribillei
Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering Aug.
Habitat Alpine and subalpine rocky sites and talus slopes Alpine rock ledges
Elevation 2000–3000 m (6600–9800 ft) 2500 m (8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
MT
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Senecio spribillei (from Snowshoe Peak, Cabinet Mountains) is similar in aspect to S. neowebsteri of the Olympic Mountains, Washington.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 551. FNA vol. 20, p. 551.
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. crassulus, S. elegans, 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. squalidus, S. sylvaticus, S. taraxacoides, S. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Synonyms S. crepidineus
Name authority Piper: Erythea 7: 173. (1899) W. A. Weber: Sida 20: 511, fig. 1. (2002)
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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