Flora of North America species comparison

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Senecio sylvaticus

Senecio cannabifolius

heath groundsel, wood groundsel, woodland groundsel, woodland ragwort

Aleutian ragwort
Habit Annuals, (15–)30–80+ cm (taproots fibrous-rooted). Perennials, (50–)100–150+ cm (rhizomes fibrous-rooted).
Herbage

puberulent (hairs abundant, curly).

unevenly tomentose, glabrescent, except persistently hairy on abaxial faces of leaves.
Stems

single.

single.
Leaves

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).

± evenly distributed (basal and proximal withering before flowering); mostly petiolate (proximal);

blades oblong or ovate to oblong-lanceolate (pinnately or subpalmately parted, primary lobes 3–6+, lanceolate to lance-linear, 3–8+ cm), 10–20+ × 8–15+ cm, bases ± tapered, ultimate margins serrate (distal leaves similar, sessile, smaller).
Ray florets

0 or 1–8+;

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

± 5;

corolla laminae ca. 10 mm.
Phyllaries

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

± 13, 4–6 mm, tips green.
Calyculi

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

0 or of 1–5+ subulate bractlets (lengths about 1/3 phyllaries).
Heads

12–24 in corymbiform arrays.

20–50 in corymbiform arrays.
Cypselae

hairy (especially on angles).

glabrous.
2n

= 40.

= 40.

Senecio sylvaticus

Senecio cannabifolius
Phenology Flowering late spring–summer (northern areas of cool, climate); winter (southern areas). Flowering summer.
Habitat Mildly disturbed woodlands, open, sandy sites Open meadows and slopes
Elevation 100–300 m (300–1000 ft) 0–100 m (0–300 ft)
Distribution
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]
from FNA
AK; Eurasia
[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.)

Senecio cannabifolius barely enters the flora from far-eastern Asia. Infraspecific taxa are recognized within S. cannabifolius in some floras of Asiatic regions; our plants are referable to var. cannabifolius.

Senecio cannabifolius has been treated in Jacobaea by E. Wiebe (2000); see discussion under 53. S. jacobaea.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 20, p. 563. FNA vol. 20, p. 569.
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. squalidus, 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. 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 Jacobaea cannabifolia, S. palmatus
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 868. (1753) Lessing: Linnaea 6: 242. (1831)
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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