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stinking willie, tansy ragwort

arrow-leaf groundsel, arrow-leaf ragwort, arrowleaf butterweed, groundsel

Habit Perennials, 20–80(–100) cm (taprooted or branched caudices surmounting taproots). Perennials, (20–)50–120(–200) cm (caudices branched, ± woody).
Herbage

sparsely and unevenly tomentose, glabrescent except in leaf axils and among heads.

glabrous or sparsely floccose-tomentose when young.

Stems

(often purplish-tinged) usually single, sometimes loosely clustered.

single or loosely clustered.

Leaves

± evenly distributed (basal often withering before flowering); petiolate (sometimes obscurely);

blades ovate to broadly ovate (usually 1–3-pinnate, lobes mostly obovate to spatulate), (4–)7–20(–30) × (1–)2–5(–12) cm, bases usually tapered, ultimate margins dentate (distal leaves similar, smaller).

evenly distributed; petiolate;

blades narrowly triangular, (3–)4–10+ × 2–6 cm, bases usually ± truncate, sometimes tapered, margins usually dentate, rarely subentire (distal leaves subsessile, smaller).

Ray florets

± 13;

corolla laminae 8–12 mm.

± 8;

corolla laminae 9–15 mm.

Phyllaries

± 13, 3–4(–5) mm, tips black or greenish.

(± 8) ± 13 (± 21), 6–10 mm, tips usually green, rarely black.

Calyculi

of 2–6 (inconspicuous) bractlets (less than 2 mm).

of 2–6 bractlets (rarely more than 2 mm).

Heads

(10–)20–60+ in corymbiform arrays.

10–30(–60) in corymbiform to subracemiform arrays.

Cypselae

all sparsely hairy or ray cypselae glabrous.

glabrous.

2n

= 40.

= 40, 80.

Senecio jacobaea

Senecio triangularis

Phenology Flowering spring–early summer(–fall). Flowering summer.
Habitat Disturbed sites, pastures, roadsides, and waste grounds Damp places, open woodlands, especially rocky stream banks in coniferous forests
Elevation 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft) 100–3300 m (300–10800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; IL; MA; ME; MI; MT; NJ; NY; OR; PA; WA; BC; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SPM; Europe [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; YT; PH
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Senecio jacobaea is a weed introduced from Europe and now well established in places of cool, damp summers. It is toxic to livestock and legally noxious in most states and provinces where it occurs.

The Russian botanist E. Wiebe (2000) resuscitated Jacobaea for plants that are treated here as Senecio jacobaea, S. erucifolius, and S. cannabifolius. Phylogenetic studies may confirm the utility of recognizing Jacobaea as a distinct genus; to do so here would be premature.

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

Plants of Senecio triangularis with narrow, subentire leaves that taper to the petioles are occasionally encountered in acid bogs in Oregon and Washington and less frequently elsewhere. They are regarded as edaphic variants; they have been recognized as var. angustifolius.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 568. FNA vol. 20, p. 566.
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. flaccidus, S. fremontii, S. hydrophiloides, S. hydrophilus, S. integerrimus, 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. taraxacoides, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Synonyms Jacobaea vulgaris S. gibbonsii, S. saliens, S. triangularis var. angustifolius
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 870. (1753) Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 332, plate 115. (1834)
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