Flora of North America species comparison

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Senecio squalidus

Senecio rapifolius

oxford ragwort

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

sparsely, unevenly floccose to subglabrous, glabrescent.

(unevenly purple-tinged, often glaucous) glabrous.
Stems

single (branching distally).

1–(2–3).
Leaves

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).

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).
Ray florets

± 13;

corolla laminae 5–8 mm.

0.
Phyllaries

(± 13) ± 21, 5–6+ mm, tips black.

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

of 4–10+ bractlets (1–2+ mm).

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

(3–)6–20 in open, cymiform arrays.

25–60+ in cymiform clusters of 3–12.
Cypselae

usually hairy.

glabrous.
2n

= 20.

= 40.

Senecio squalidus

Senecio rapifolius
Phenology Flowering late winter–spring or fall. Flowering late summer–early fall.
Habitat Disturbed sites (in regions of cool, damp climates) Rocky hillsides and cliffs in coniferous wooded areas
Elevation 0–300 m (0–1000 ft) 1800–2800 m (5900–9200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NS; Europe [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ID; SD; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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. 560. 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. 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
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
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 869. (1753) Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 409. (1841)
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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