Common name: Variable Groundsel
Senecio pinnatifolius A.Rich. APNI* Synonyms: Senecio lautus sensu Harden, G. J. (1992) Flora of New South Wales 3:308 p.p. APNI*
Description: Erect or ascending, glabrous or sub-glabrous annual or perennial to 1 metre high.
Leaves sessile, usually variously pinnate, or undivided and toothed, rarely entire.
Inflorescence of 1–30 radiate heads; heads campanulate 4–6 mm long, bracts 12–21, broader stereomes (herbaceous centre of bracts) to 1.5 mm wide, commonly ridged on drying; bracteoles present; ray florets 5–14, yellow, ligules 5–12 mm long; disc florets 40–80, yellow.
Cypselas 2.5–3 mm long, pubescent or glabrous; pappus of fine hairs 5 mm long, deciduous.
Distribution and occurrence: A highly variable species occurring mostly within 300-400 km of the coast. It occurs predominantly in areas of moderate to high rainfall, but it does occur in arid or semiarid environments on the west and south coasts of Western Australia and south coasts of South Australia. (I.R.Thompson, Muelleria 21:39 (2005))
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP, SWP
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas. S.A. W.A.
Eight varieties have been described for this species, by Ian Thompson in Muelleria 21:23-76 (2005). Five of these occur in NSW. Thompson says the current classification has not resolved the variation in this species.
Text by N.G. Walsh (1999); edited KL Wilson, Mar 2009, C. Herscovitch Oct 2009
Taxon concept: Flora of Victoria vol. 4 (1999)
Taxa not yet included in identification key
Senecio pinnatifolius var. alpinus,
Senecio pinnatifolius var. lanceolatus,
Senecio pinnatifolius var. pinnatifolius,
Senecio pinnatifolius var. serratus
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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