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Douglas' groundsel, Mono groundsel, shrubby butterweed, shrubby ragwort, threadleaf groundsel, threadleaf ragwort

dandelion ragwort

Habit Subshrubs or shrubs, (30–)40–120+ cm (taproots forming woody crowns). Perennials, 5–10(–14) cm (caudices branched, fibrous-rooted).
Herbage

glabrous or ± lanate-tomentose.

(sometimes purple-tinged) floccose-tomentose (persistently on abaxial faces of leaves, glabrescent elsewhere).

Stems

usually multiple (little branched, arching-erect).

single or loosely clustered.

Leaves

± evenly distributed;

sessile or obscurely petiolate;

blades narrowly linear to filiform (or pinnatifid, the segments linear to filiform), 3–10(–12) cm, bases ± linear, ultimate margins entire or remotely toothed (fascicles of smaller leaves sometimes borne in axils of larger leaves).

± evenly distributed; petiolate;

blades oblanceolate to ovate, (1–)2–6 × 1–2.5 cm, bases tapered, margins dentate or incised to subpinnatifid (distal leaves bractlike).

Ray florets

usually ± 8 or ± 13, sometimes ± 21;

corolla laminae 10–15(–20) mm (mostly yellow, sometimes ochroleucous).

usually ± 13, sometimes fewer or 0;

corolla laminae 8–12 mm.

Phyllaries

± 13 or ± 21+, 5–10(–12) mm, tips green or minutely black.

± 13 or ± 21, 7–10 mm, tips green.

Calyculi

usually of 3–5+ bractlets (lengths often to 1/2+ phyllaries), sometimes 0.

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

Heads

(1–)3–10(–20+) in corymbiform or subcorymbiform clusters, often gathered in larger, showy arrays (involucres campanulate or cylindric).

1(–5).

Cypselae

hairy.

glabrous.

2n

= 40.

= 40.

Senecio flaccidus

Senecio taraxacoides

Phenology Late summer.
Habitat Alpine peaks
Elevation 3500–4000 m (11500–13100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; KS; NM; NV; OK; TX; UT; Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; NM
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

The varieties of Senecio flaccidus are distinguished by morphologic tendencies and geography. The species occurs southward to central Mexico; a sound understanding of the infraspecific taxonomy must await revisionary studies that include the Mexican plants.

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

Key
1. Herbage usually tomentose (hairs whitish), sometimes unevenly glabrescent; bractlets of calyculi minute or 0; involucres cylindric or ± campanulate; phyllaries ± 13 or ± 21, 5–8+ mm
var. flaccidus
1. Herbage ± tomentose, glabrate, or glabrous; bractlets of calyculi well developed (lengths mostly 1/3 – 1/2 phyllaries); involucres ± campanulate; phyllaries ± 21, 7–12 mm
→ 2
2. Plants usually ± tomentose (usually with persistent, uneven grayish tomentum), sometimes unevenly glabrescent; California w of crests of Sierra Nevada and related ranges
var. douglasii
2. Plants glabrate or glabrous; California deserts e of crest of Sierra Nevada and eastward
var. monoensis
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 558. 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. elmeri, S. eremophilus, S. ertterae, S. erucifolius, 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. spribillei, S. squalidus, S. sylvaticus, S. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Subordinate taxa
S. flaccidus var. douglasii, S. flaccidus var. flaccidus, S. flaccidus var. monoensis
Synonyms S. amplectens var. taraxacoides, Ligularia taraxacoides
Name authority Lessing: Linnaea 5: 161. (1830) (A. Gray) Greene: Pittonia 4: 119. (1900)
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