Flora of North America species comparison

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Senecio rapifolius

Senecio actinella

openwoods ragwort

Flagstaff ragwort
Habit Perennials, (20–)30–60 cm (rhizomes branched, spreading or suberect). Perennials, (7–)20–30(–40+) cm (rhizomes exfoliating).
Herbage

(unevenly purple-tinged, often glaucous) glabrous.

densely lanate-tomentose, glabrescent (especially on adaxial faces of leaves).
Stems

1–(2–3).

single.
Leaves

progressively reduced distally; petiolate;

blades ovate to oblanceolate, 4–8(–9+) × (2–)3–5 cm, bases tapered, margins dentate to incised-dentate (some denticles callous; mid leaves similar, smaller, ± clasping; distal leaves bractlike).

mostly basal; petiolate;

blades narrowly obovate, (2–)3–7(–10) × 1–2(–3+) cm, bases tapered, margins subentire to denticulate (cauline leaves bractlike).
Ray florets

0.

± 13;

corolla laminae usually 8–10 mm (sometimes tubular, unexpanded, heads then perhaps technically disciform).
Phyllaries

(± 5) ± 8, 3–4(–5) mm, tips green or brownish.

± 21, 8–12 mm, tips greenish (with white bristles).
Calyculi

0 or of 1–3+ lance-deltate to lance-linear bractlets (mostly less than 1 mm).

of (1–)5–8+ linear to filiform bractlets (lengths 1/3–3/4 phyllaries).
Heads

25–60+ in cymiform clusters of 3–12.

1(–3).
Cypselae

glabrous.

hairy.
2n

= 40.

Senecio rapifolius

Senecio actinella
Phenology Flowering late summer–early fall. Flowering summer.
Habitat Rocky hillsides and cliffs in coniferous wooded areas In duff, rocky woodlands, especially in pine-dominated areas
Elevation 1800–2800 m (5900–9200 ft) 2000–3000 m (6600–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; SD; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plants of Senecio actinella with relatively small proximal leaves similar to basal leaves and adaxial leaf faces early glabrate have been recognized as var. mogollonicus; the distinction is difficult to maintain. Receptacles in Senecio actinella are sometimes insect-infested.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 553. FNA vol. 20, p. 553.
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. 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. 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. 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. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Synonyms S. actinella var. mogollonicus, S. mogollonicus
Name authority Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 409. (1841) Greene: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 10: 87. (1883)
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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