Senecio Sylvaticus L. Wood Groundsel. (Plate XI)

An annual, much resembling the common Groundsel, but a taller plant, often 2 feet high, slightly downy, or nearly glabrous, and not so viscid nor so strong-smelling as 5. viscosus, which also grows in sandy or stony places in the Swiss mountains. Flower-heads rather numerous, in a loose corymb. Involucral bracts 12-15, the outer ones very small. Outer florets usually ligulate, but small and rolled back as in the Viscous Senecio, and sometimes quite absent as in the Groundsel. Achenes covered with minute, adpressed hairs.

Waste places, banks, borders of woods, and in Switzerland, especially in the clearings of pine-woods. June to October. The plant illustrated came from Chamonix.

Distribution

Most of Europe from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean. Britain. Siberia.

Senecio Doronicum L. (Plate XX)

Polymorphic. In high situations generally covered with a grey felt, but becoming glabrescent sometimes in shadier places in lower altitudes (see notes by R. Farrer, W. Irving, and the author in Gard. Chron., 1910, p. 56).

Plate XX.

1. SENECIO DORONICUM.

2. SAPONARIA OCYMOIDES.

3. EUPHORBIA CYPARISSIAS.

4. ARNICA MONTANA.

5. PRIMULA FARINOSA.

4/7 NATURAL SIZE.

Leaves thick, often cottony below, entire or toothed; lower leaves oblong, obtuse, prolonged below into a petiole; the next sessile, lanceolate, semi-amplexicaul. Ray-flowers 10-20, orange-yellow. Outer involucre with 10 or more bracts.

Rocky place and pastures especially on calcareous mountains; 5000-8800 feet, frequent. July, August.

Distribution

Eastern, Central, and Western Alps, Pyrenees, Spain, S. Jura, Central Europe, N.W. Balkans.

Senecio Abrotanifolius L

Stem shrubby at the base, annual shoots 3-12 inches long, glabrous or slightly downy like the leaves, corymbosely branched above, with 2 or more capitula, less often with a single capitulum. Lower leaves bi-pinnate, stalked, dark green, shining, finely and deeply divided; upper leaves simply pinnate, sessile. Teeth narrowly linear, acute. Paleae about half length of involucral bracts. Ray-flowers spreading. Capitula large, orange-yellow.

On rocks, between stones, and on debris of the calcareous Alps; 4000-5500 feet. July to September.

Distribution

Carpathians, Eastern Alps, and Switzerland, but only in Tessin, Grisons, Appenzell and Zermatt valley.

Senecio Subalpinus Koch

Glabrous. Stem 1-2 feet high, with large leaves, somewhat woolly beneath, and golden yellow flowers. Lower leaves triangular, sagittate or cordate, longer than broad, coarsely toothed, stalked; upper leaves lyrate-pinnatifid or pinnate, auricled. Achenes glabrous.

Alpine and sub-alpine pastures. July, August.

Distribution

Carpathians and Eastern Alps.