Scientific Family
Asteraceae
Synonyms
Senecio anacletus, S. microdontus, S. toluccanus var. microdontus
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
To 20 inches
Riparian
Yes
To 20 inches tall; stems 1 to several; herbage smooth, somewhat waxy; shrubby or branched rhizomes; rays yellow, 8 to 10, pistillate (no stamens), borne in corymbiform arrays (flat-topped, equal length, older flowers on longer stems).
Stems not hairy, 1 to several, may have a powdery bloom; basal leaves oval, stemmed, margins smooth to somewhat toothed, borne on winged stems; stem leaves smaller than basal ones, margins smooth; flower heads yellow, 8 to 10 ray and disc flowers.
Habitat
Found in damp or drying sites, often in rocky, moderately disturbed sites and coniferous forests.
Plant Community
Riparian
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
6000
High elevation
9500
Flower Characteristics
Heads in groups of 8 to 24; rays yellow, 8 to 10, 1/2 inch long; disc flowers yellow; phyllaries (bracts below ray flowers) narrow, smooth, green to brownish (but not black), sharp tipped; secondary narrow bracts found below phyllaries.
Flower color
Yellow
Flower shape
Daisy or dandelion-like
Tubular
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
September
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Alternate or basal, thickish and turgid (swollen), the basal leaves round, 1 to 6 inches long, margins smooth to wavy toothed, borne on winged stems; upper leaves greatly reduced, short-stemmed or stemless and clasping.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
Yes
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Round, ribbed, and not hairy; pappus of numerous, soft, white, capillary (hair-like) bristles.
Fruit type
Achene