Senecio productus subsp. productus I.Thomps. APNI* Description: Herbs to c. 0.3 m tall, ± glabrous.
Mid-stem leaves mostly 2–7 cm long, unndivided or lobate to sub-pinnatisect; base attenuate, entire denticulate or dentate; undivided leaves linear or very narrow-elliptic; divided laeves with up to 3 segments per side. Upper-stem leaves with base sometimes shallow auriculate, hardly stem-clasping.
Inflorescence corymbose; involucre bracts 5–6 mm long; bracteoles 3–5. Florets 25–45; female florets 8–13, corolla tube 2–3 mm long; ligule vestigial; corolla of bisexual florets 3–4 mm long.
Achenes dimorphic; achenes of bisexual florets 2.5–3.5 mm long; achenes of female florets 3–4.5 mm long; pappus 3–4 mm long, absent from mature achenes of the female florets.
Flowering: Mostly winter and spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Occurs on the plains of the Murray River catchment in far southern central New South Wales, north-central and NW Victoria and in far SE South Australia. Recorded from heavy, grey clay soils, from the edge of a billabong in drying mud, and from chenopod shrubland.
NSW subdivisions: NWP, SWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Vic. S.A.
Similar to S. glossanthus but the latter has narrower heads with fewer involucral bracts, fewer but better developed and exserted ligules, shorter achenes. Because the ligules of the subspecies are vestigial, it could be confused with disciform or discoid species of Senecio unless the florets were examined microscopically. Recorded as growing together with S. glossanthus.
Text by Louisa Murray
Taxon concept: Ian R. Thompson (2005) Taxonomic studies of Australian Senecio (Asteraceae): 4. A revision of Senecio glossanthus and recognition of allied species with long ligules. Muelleria 21: 3-21 (2005)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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