Scientific Family
Asteraceae
Synonyms
Senecio lynceus, S. lynceus var. leucoreus, S. multilobatus, S. stygius, S. thornberi, S. uintahensisÂ
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Biennial or perennial
Height
To 30 inches
Riparian
No
Produces small but numerous bright yellow flowers atop a single or several stems growng out of many, deeply incised, lobed leaves.
Plants herbaceous to their base up to 28 inches tall; basal leaves highly divided, terminal division short; upper leaves are much reduced. Flower heads numerous, yellow rayed, bracts red-tipped, flower stalks woolly where they attach to the main stem.
Habitat
Dry rocky or sandy soils, woodland and forest openings. Shady cottonwood groves, deserts, pinyon/juniper forests and coniferous forests.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
2000
High elevation
7500
Flower Characteristics
Yellow rays with yellowish-orange disc flowers; 1 inch wide; many clusters of numerous flower heads. Flower head bracts in 1 to 2 series, green, often with purplish or reddish tips.
Flower color
Yellow
Flower shape
Daisy or dandelion-like
Tubular
No
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
October
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
The deeply cut, lobed leaves are mostly basal, with some alternate stem leaves that become smaller as they go up the stem. Basal leaves are up to 5 inches long and 1-1/2 inches wide. Plant grows from a taproot.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Dark green
Leaf shape
Pinnatifid
Leaf margin
Dissected
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit color
Light brown
Each head produces about 20 smooth seeds with long white bristles to carry them away in the wind.