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Sacramento ragwort

heath groundsel, wood groundsel, woodland groundsel, woodland ragwort

Habit Perennials, 20–50 cm (caudices fibrous-rooted). Annuals, (15–)30–80+ cm (taproots fibrous-rooted).
Herbage

sparsely pubescent to tomentose (especially on abaxial leaf faces and among heads).

puberulent (hairs abundant, curly).

Stems

single or loosely clustered.

single.

Leaves

progressively reduced distally;

petiolate;

blades triangular, triangular-lanceolate, or lanceolate, 3–10(–15) × 1.5–4 cm, bases cordate to truncate or tapered, margins serrate or dentate (mid and distal leaves sessile, bractlike).

evenly distributed;

petiolate;

blades obovate to oblong, 3–7(–12) × 1–3(–4) cm, usually 1–2-pinnate, bases tapered, ultimate margins dentate (distal leaves similar, clasping, bractlike).

Ray florets

0.

0 or 1–8+;

corolla laminae usually 1–2+ mm (barely surpassing phyllaries).

Phyllaries

± 8, 6–9 mm, tips green.

± 13 (± 21), 4–7+ mm, tips greenish or minutely black.

Calyculi

of 2–5+ lance-deltate to filiform bractlets (lengths 1/5–1/2 phyllaries).

0 or of 1–5+ linear to filiform bractlets.

Heads

nodding, 6–10+ in racemiform-paniculiform arrays.

12–24 in corymbiform arrays.

Cypselae

glabrous.

hairy (especially on angles).

2n

= 40.

Senecio sacramentanus

Senecio sylvaticus

Phenology Late summer. Flowering late spring–summer (northern areas of cool, climate); winter (southern areas).
Habitat Montane meadows Mildly disturbed woodlands, open, sandy sites
Elevation 3000–3500 m (9800–11500 ft) 100–300 m (300–1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
NM
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; LA; MA; MI; NJ; OH; OR; PA; WA; WI; BC; NB; NF; NS; PE; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Senecio sylvaticus is a Eurasian weed that favors cool, wet climates. It is well established in coastal areas of the Pacific Coast and in parts of Newfoundland and Quebec; elsewhere in the flora, it appears to be sporadic.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 550. FNA vol. 20, p. 563.
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. rapifolius, S. riddellii, 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. taraxacoides, S. triangularis, S. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Name authority Wooton & Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 16: 194. (1913) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 868. (1753)
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