Flora of North America species comparison

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Senecio rapifolius

Senecio squalidus

openwoods ragwort

oxford ragwort
Habit Perennials, (20–)30–60 cm (rhizomes branched, spreading or suberect). Annuals (or perennials), 15–60+ cm (taprooted).
Herbage

(unevenly purple-tinged, often glaucous) glabrous.

sparsely, unevenly floccose to subglabrous, glabrescent.
Stems

1–(2–3).

single (branching distally).
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).

evenly distributed; petiolate (proximal, petioles ± winged);

blades obovate to oblong, 4–10 × 2–4+ cm, mostly lyrate-pinnatifid to pinnate, bases tapered, ultimate margins dentate (distal leaves similar, smaller, sessile).
Ray florets

0.

± 13;

corolla laminae 5–8 mm.
Phyllaries

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

(± 13) ± 21, 5–6+ mm, tips black.
Calyculi

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

of 4–10+ bractlets (1–2+ mm).
Heads

25–60+ in cymiform clusters of 3–12.

(3–)6–20 in open, cymiform arrays.
Cypselae

glabrous.

usually hairy.
2n

= 40.

= 20.

Senecio rapifolius

Senecio squalidus
Phenology Flowering late summer–early fall. Flowering late winter–spring or fall.
Habitat Rocky hillsides and cliffs in coniferous wooded areas Disturbed sites (in regions of cool, damp climates)
Elevation 1800–2800 m (5900–9200 ft) 0–300 m (0–1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; SD; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; NS; Europe [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Senecio squalidus is native in Europe, where it is a common weed. It is apparently established in the San Francisco Bay area, California and has been reported from British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. It is to be expected elsewhere.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 553. FNA vol. 20, p. 560.
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. 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. sylvaticus, S. taraxacoides, S. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Name authority Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 409. (1841) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 869. (1753)
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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