''Senecio'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of flowering plants in the daisy family (

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae ...

) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously

circumscribed In geometry, the circumscribed circle or circumcircle of a polygon is a circle that passes through all the vertices of the polygon. The center of this circle is called the circumcenter and its radius is called the circumradius. Not every po ...

taxonomically, the genus ''Senecio'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants.

Description

Morphology

The

flower head A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...

s are normally rayed with the heads borne in branched clusters, and usually completely yellow, but green, purple, white and blue flowers are known as well. In its current circumscription, the genus contains species that are

annual Annual may refer to: * Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year **Yearbook **Literary annual * Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herbs, shrubs, small trees, aquatics or climbers. The only species which are trees are the species formerly belonging to '' Robinsonia'' occurring on the

Juan Fernández Islands The Juan Fernández Islands ( es, Archipiélago Juan Fernández) are a sparsely inhabited series of islands in the South Pacific Ocean reliant on tourism and fishing. Situated off the coast of Chile, they are composed of three main volcanic i ...

Chemistry

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), sometimes referred to as necine bases, are a group of naturally occurring alkaloids based on the structure of pyrrolizidine. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are produced by plants as a defense mechanism against insect her ...

are found in all ''Senecio'' species. These alkaloids serve as a natural

biocide A biocide is defined in the European legislation as a chemical substance or microorganism intended to destroy, deter, render harmless, or exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses a slig ...

s to deter or even kill animals that would eat them. Livestock generally do not find them palatable. ''Senecio'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

e of some Lepidoptera species that have developed tolerance for these alkaloids.

Taxonomy

The traditional circumscription of ''Senecio'' is artificial, being

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of conver ...

, even in its new circumscription which is based on

genetic data In the fields of molecular biology and genetics, a genome is all the genetic information of an organism. It consists of nucleotide sequences of DNA (or RNA in RNA viruses). The nuclear genome includes protein-coding genes and non-coding gen ...

. Despite the separation of many

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

into other genera, the genus still contains species and is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. As no morphological

synapomorphies In phylogenetics, an apomorphy (or derived trait) is a novel character or character state that has evolved from its ancestral form (or plesiomorphy). A synapomorphy is an apomorphy shared by two or more taxa and is therefore hypothesized to hav ...

are known to determine which species belong to the genus or not, no exact species number is known. The genus has an almost worldwide distribution and evolved in the mid- to late

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recent" ...

Phylogeny

Many genera and the whole tribe are in need of revision. Many species currently placed in the genus need to be transferred to other or new genera, and others have been retransferred to ''Senecio''. In its new delimitation the genus is still not

monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic ...

. Genera that have been included are the following: * ''

Aetheolaena ''Aetheolaena'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. Species include:''Aetheola ...

'' * ''Culcitum'' * ''

Hasteola ''Hasteola'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. ; Species * ''Hasteola kamtschatica'' (Maxim.) Pojark. - Russian Far East, northeastern China, Korea * ''Hasteola praetermissa'' Poljakov - Russian Far East * ''Hasteo ...

'' * ''

Iocenes ''Iocenes'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family. There is only one known species, ''Iocenes acanthifolius'', native to extreme southern South America ( Tierra del Fuego Province in Argentina and Magallanes Region in Chile ...

'' B. Nord. * ''

Lasiocephalus ''Lasiocephalus'' is a genus of South American flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a ...

'' Willd. ex Schltdl. * '' Robinsonia''

Synonyms

The following genera contain species that are or have been included within ''Senecio''. * '' Antillanthus'' B. Nord. * '' Barkleyanthus'' H. Rob. & Brettell * '' Brachyglottis'' J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. * ''

Canariothamnus ''Bethencourtia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It contains three species of plants endemic to the Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spani ...

'' B. Nord. * ''

Curio Curio may refer to: Objects *Bric-à-brac, lesser objets d'art for display * Cabinet of curiosities, a room-sized collection or exhibit of curios or curiosities *Collectables * Curio cabinet, a cabinet constructed for the display of curios People ...

'' P.V. Heath * '' Dauresia'' B. Nord. & Pelser * ''

Dendrophorbium ''Dendrophorbium'' is a genus of South American flowering plants in the family Asteraceae.Luteyn, J. L. 1999. Páramos, a checklist of plant diversity, geographical distribution, and botanical literature. Memoirs of The New York Botanical Garden ...

'' C. Jeffrey * ''

Dendrosenecio ''Dendrosenecio'' is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family. It is a segregate of ''Senecio'', in which it formed the subgenus ''Dendrosenecio''. Its members, the giant groundsels, are native to the higher altitude zones of ten mo ...

'' (Hauman ex Hedberg) B. Nord. - Giant groundsels occurring in the

high altitude Altitude or height (also sometimes known as depth) is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context ...

areas of

East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the histori ...

* '' Dorobaea'' Cass. * '' Dresslerothamnus'' H. Rob. * '' Elekmania'' B. Nord. * '' Herreranthus'' B. Nord. * '' Hubertia'' Bory * ''

Jacobaea ''Jacobaea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae. Its members used to be placed in the genus ''Senecio'', but have been separated into the segregate genus ''Jacobaea'' on the basis of molecular phylog ...

'' Mill.'' Leonis'' B. Nord. * '' Ligularia'' * '' Lundinia'' B. Nord. * '' Mesogramma'' DC. * '' Monticalia'' C. Jeffrey * '' Nelsonianthus'' H. Rob. & Brettell * ''

Nesampelos ''Nesampelos'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, native to the Island of Hispaniola in the West Indies.Oldfeltia ''Oldfeltia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Asteraceae. It contains only one known species, ''Oldfeltia polyphlebia''. It is native to Cuba. The genus name of ''Oldfeltia'' is in honour of Karin Oldfelt Hjertonsson (b. ...

'' B. Nord. & Lundin * ''

Packera ''Packera'' is a genus of about 64 species of plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. Most species are commonly called ragworts or grounsels. Its members were previously included in the genus ''Senecio'' (where they were called ''aureoid senecios ...

'' Á. Löve & D. Löve * ''

Pentacalia ''Pentacalia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. About 34 members of this genus appear to be located in the South American county Ecuador, where they are threatened by habitat loss. The genus contains approximately two hu ...

'' Cass. * '' Pippenalia'' McVaugh * ''

Pittocaulon '' Pittocaulon'' is a genus of Mexican shrubs and small trees in the tribe Senecioneae within the family Asteraceae. ''Pittocaulon'' is native to the dry parts of central and southern Mexico. In addition to the strange appearance of these plants, ...

'' H. Rob. & Brettell * ''

Pojarkovia ''Pojarkovia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family. Species ;accepted species *''Pojarkovia pojarkovae'' (Schischk.) Greuter - Azerbaijan and Republic of Georgia ;formerly includedPsacaliopsis'' H. Rob. & Brettell * '' Pseudogynoxys'' (Greenm.) Cabrera * '' Pseudojacobaea'' (Hook. f.) R. Mathur * ''

Roldana ''Roldana'' also known as groundsel is a genus of large herbs or sub shrubs from the tribe groundsel tribe within the sunflower family. Most if not all of its members used to be members of a related genus, ''Senecio''. The species which are n ...

'' La Llave * '' Sinosenecio'' B. Nord. * '' Synotis'' (C. B. Clarke) C. Jeffrey & Y. L. Chen * '' Telanthophora'' H. Rob. & Brettell * '' Tephroseris'' (Rchb.) Rchb. * ''

Vendredia ''Senecio'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously circumscribed taxonomically, the genus ''Senecio'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. Description Morp ...

'' Baill. * ''

Zemisia ''Zemisia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Asteraceae. The genus was circumscribed by Rune Bertil Nordenstam in Compositae News Lett. vol.44 on page 72 in 2006. It is native to southern Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hon ...

'' B. Nord.

Etymology

The scientific name, ''

Senecio ''Senecio'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously circumscribed taxonomically, the genus ''Senecio'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. Description Morp ...

'', means "old man".

Selected species

*'' Senecio ampullaceus'' — Texas ragwort, Texas squaw-weed, Texas groundsel, clasping-leaf groundsel *''

Senecio angulatus ''Senecio angulatus'', also known as creeping groundsel and Cape ivy, is a succulent flowering plant in the family Asteraceae that is native to South Africa. Cape ivy is a scrambling and a twining herb that can become an aggressive weed once ...

'' L.f. — creeping groundsel *'' Senecio antisanae'' *'' Senecio arborescens’ *'' Senecio barbertonicus'' Klatt — succulent bush senecio *''

Senecio battiscombei ''Dendrosenecio battiscombei'' (synonym ''Senecio battiscombei'') is one of the giant groundsels that lives on the slopes of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Range. Like ''Dendrosenecio adnivalis'' on the Ruwenzori Mountains and the Virunga Mount ...

'' **''Dendrosenecio battiscombei'' *'' Senecio bigelovii'' — nodding groundsel *''

Senecio bosniacus ''Senecio'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously circumscribed taxonomically, the genus ''Senecio'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. Description Morp ...

'' G. Beck — Bosnian ragwort *''

Senecio brasiliensis ''Senecio brasiliensis'', known by the common name flor-das-almas, (flower-of-souls), is a perennial species of the genus ''Senecio'' and family Asteraceae. It is native to fields and meadows of central South America. Description ''S. brasilien ...

'' (Spreng.) Less. — flor-das-almas **''Cineraria brasiliensis'' *'' Senecio candicans'' — angel wings *'' Senecio cambrensis'' — Welsh groundsel, Welsh ragwort *'' Senecio congestus'' (R. Br.) DC. — marsh ragwort, clustered marsh ragwort, marsh fleabane **''Cineraria palustris'' **''Othonna palustris'' **''Tephroseris palustris'' *'' Senecio crassissimus'' *''

Senecio douglasii ''Senecio flaccidus'', formerly recorded as ''Senecio douglasii'' (in honor of the botanist David Douglas), member of the daisy family and genus ''Senecio'' also known as threadleaf ragwort (and threadleaf groundsel, bush senecio, creek sene ...

'' — threadleaf groundsel *'' Senecio elegans'' — purple groundsel *'' Senecio flaccidus'' Less. — Douglas senecio, threadleaf groundsel, threadleaf ragwort *'' Senecio ficoides'' **''Curio ficoides'' *'' Senecio gallicus'' Chaix — French groundsel *'' Senecio glabellus'' Poir. — butterweed **''Packera glabella'' (Poir) C. Jeffrey *''

Senecio glaucus ''Senecio glaucus'' is an annual member of the Asteraceae and species of the genus Senecio. It is found from the western Mediterranean to Central Asia in sandy, well-drained soil, particularly coastal and desert dunes. Common names * en, Jaffa ...

'' L. — Jaffa groundsel *'' Senecio 'Hippogriff''' — dolphin necklace, flying dolphins, dolphin plant **''Curio × peregrinus'' *'' Senecio howeanus'' *'' Senecio inaequidens'' — South African ragwort *'' Senecio iscoensis'' — Hieron. *''Senecio jacobaea'' — is a synonym of ''

Jacobaea vulgaris ''Jacobaea vulgaris'', syn. ''Senecio jacobaea'', is a very common wild flower in the family Asteraceae that is native to northern Eurasia, usually in dry, open places, and has also been widely distributed as a weed elsewhere. Common names inc ...

''. *'' Senecio keniensis'' **''Dendrosenecio keniensis'' *'' Senecio keniodendron'' — giant groundsel **''Dendrosenecio keniodendron'' *'' Senecio keniophytum'' *''

Senecio kleinia ''Kleinia neriifolia'', known in Spanish as ''verode'' or ''berode'', is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is endemic to the Canary Islands. It was formerly named ''Senecio kleinia''. Description A succulent plan ...

'' **''Kleinia neriifolia'' *'' Senecio kleiniiformis'' — spearhead *''

Senecio lamarckianus ''Senecio lamarckianus'', the bois de chèvre ( en, wood/antler of goat), is a species of flowering plant in the aster family and a member of the genus ''Senecio''. It is endemic to the island of Mauritius and is threatened by habitat loss. ''S ...

'' *''

Senecio leucanthemifolius ''Senecio leucanthemifolius'' is a plant common in sea-side in Mediterranean area. Common names * en, Coastal Ragwort * it, Senecione costiero, Senecione pigmeo *french: Séneçon à feuilles de Marguerite Taxonomy ''Senecio leucanthemifolius'' ...

'' Poir. — coastal ragwort *''

Senecio littoralis ''Senecio falklandicus'', synonym ''Senecio littoralis'' Gaudich., is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae endemic to the Falkland Islands. It is known as the woolly ragwort. Its natural habitats are temperate shrubland, rocky a ...

'' *'' Senecio madagascariensis'' — Madagascar ragwort *''

Senecio macroglossus ''Senecio macroglossus'', the Natal ivy, marguerite ivy, climbing senecio or wax ivy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to southern Africa, from Zimbabwe and Mozambique to eastern South Africa. Name Despite its ...

'' — Natal ivy, wax ivy *'' Senecio mikanioides'' — Cape ivy, German ivy **''Delairea odorata'' *'' Senecio neowbsteri'' Olympic Mountain groundsel *'' Senecio nivalis'' Kunth *'' Senecio obovatus'' Muhl. — roundleaf ragwort **''Packera obovata'' (Muhl. ex Willd.) *'' Senecio patagonicus'' *'' Senecio pauciradiatus'' *'' Senecio pulcher'' *'' Senecio radicans'' — string of bananas **''Curio radicans'' *'' Senecio rowleyanus'' — string of pearls **''Curio rowleyanus'' *'' Senecio sanmarcosensis'' *''Senecio scandens'' —

German ivy ''Delairea'' is a plant genus within the family Asteraceae that is native to South Africa. Classified within the tribe Senecioneae, it contains only one species, ''Delairea odorata'', which was previously included in the genus ''Senecio'' as ''Se ...

*''

Senecio serpens ''Curio repens'', syn. ''Senecio serpens'', is a species of the genus '' Curio'' in the Asteraceae family. A succulent endemic to the Western Cape province of South Africa, it is typically found growing from crevices in rocky sandstone slopes. Co ...

'' — blue chalksticks **''Curio repens'' *''

Senecio squalidus ''Senecio squalidus'', known as Oxford ragwort, is a flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. It is a yellow-flowered herbaceous plant, native to mountainous, rocky or volcanic areas, that has managed to find other homes on man-made and ...

'' — Oxford ragwort *''

Senecio trapezuntinus ''Senecio'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously circumscribed taxonomically, the genus ''Senecio'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. Description Morp ...

'' *'' Senecio triangularis'' — arrowleaf groundsel *'' Senecio tropaeolifolius'' — false nasturtium *'' Senecio vaginatus'' *'' Senecio vernalis'' — eastern groundsel *'' Senecio viscosus'' — sticky ragwort *''

Senecio vulgaris ''Senecio vulgaris'', often known by the common names groundsel and old-man-in-the-spring, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is an annual herb, native to Europe and widely naturalised as a ruderal species in suitable disturbed ha ...

'' — common groundsel, old-man-in-the-spring Formerly in ''Senecio'' * '' Brachyglottis greyi'' (as ''S. greyi'') * ''

Pericallis × hybrida ''Pericallis'' × ''hybrida'', known as cineraria, florist's cineraria or common ragwort is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It originated as a hybrid between '' Pericallis cruenta'' and '' P. lanata'', both natives of the Canary Islan ...

'' (as ''S. cruentus'') * ''

Rugelia nudicaulis ''Rugelia nudicaulis'' (Rugel's Indian plantain or Rugels ragwort), the sole species of the genus ''Rugelia'', blooms in summer. It is a wildflower endemic to higher elevations in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is a rare species in Tennessee. Fir ...

'' — Rugels ragwort

Distribution

The genus ''Senecio'' is distributed almost worldwide. It is one of the few genera occurring in all five regions with a

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

. Furthermore, species are found in mountainous regions, including tropical alpine-like areas.

References

External links

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{Taxonbar, from=Q209596 Asteraceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus