The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

heath groundsel, wood groundsel, woodland groundsel, woodland ragwort

arrow-leaf groundsel, arrow-leaf ragwort, arrowleaf butterweed, groundsel

Habit Annuals, (15–)30–80+ cm (taproots fibrous-rooted). Perennials, (20–)50–120(–200) cm (caudices branched, ± woody).
Herbage

puberulent (hairs abundant, curly).

glabrous or sparsely floccose-tomentose when young.

Stems

single.

single or loosely clustered.

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; petiolate;

blades narrowly triangular, (3–)4–10+ × 2–6 cm, bases usually ± truncate, sometimes tapered, margins usually dentate, rarely subentire (distal leaves subsessile, smaller).

Ray florets

0 or 1–8+;

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

± 8;

corolla laminae 9–15 mm.

Phyllaries

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

(± 8) ± 13 (± 21), 6–10 mm, tips usually green, rarely black.

Calyculi

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

of 2–6 bractlets (rarely more than 2 mm).

Heads

12–24 in corymbiform arrays.

10–30(–60) in corymbiform to subracemiform arrays.

Cypselae

hairy (especially on angles).

glabrous.

2n

= 40.

= 40, 80.

Senecio sylvaticus

Senecio triangularis

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer (northern areas of cool, climate); winter (southern areas). Flowering summer.
Habitat Mildly disturbed woodlands, open, sandy sites Damp places, open woodlands, especially rocky stream banks in coniferous forests
Elevation 100–300 m (300–1000 ft) 100–3300 m (300–10800 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; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC; NT; YT; PH
[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.)

Plants of Senecio triangularis with narrow, subentire leaves that taper to the petioles are occasionally encountered in acid bogs in Oregon and Washington and less frequently elsewhere. They are regarded as edaphic variants; they have been recognized as var. angustifolius.

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

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 563. FNA vol. 20, p. 566.
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. 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. viscosus, S. vulgaris, S. warnockii, S. wootonii
Synonyms S. gibbonsii, S. saliens, S. triangularis var. angustifolius
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 868. (1753) Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 332, plate 115. (1834)
Web links