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Genus Senecio L.
Род 791 (40). СПОРЕЖ - SENECIO L.¹*
L., Sp. Pl. ed. 1 (1753) 866; Gen. Pl. ed. 5 (1754) 373; Greuter, Med-Checklist 2 (2008) 711

Fam: Asteraceae (Compositae)
Genus: Senecio L.
English Name: Ragworts or Groundsels

Description:

Annual, biennial, perennial herbaceous plants or low shrubs, bare or fibrous. Stems single or several, simple or branched. Leaves successively arranged, serrated, feathery incised or feathery cut, with petioles or sat down or to half-stem covering. Baskets usually collected in a thyroid inflorescence, rarely single. The shell of the basket consists of 1 row of wrappers of the same shape and size and several shorter, additional bracts, different in size, located at the base of the basket. The flower bed is flat, without scales or hairs between the fruit seeds. Peripheral blossoms tongue-shaped, feminine, rarely absent; inner tubular, bisexual. Fruits usually cylindrical, with rounded ribs, most often with a kite of numerous simple or serrated, snow-white to grayish-white hairs. Propagated by seeds and vegetatively.

Table for determination of the species

1   Annuals ………………………………………………............................................…..………………..………………. 2
1* Biennial, perennial herbaceous plants or low shrubs …………................................................………………………….... 6
2 Tongues of tongue flowers undeveloped or significantly shorter than the shell, after flowering curled back …..…………….... 3
2* Tongues of lingual flowers almost identical or longer than the shell, after flowering unbent ………………….……………… 5
3    Inflorescence without glandular hairs; bracts 8 - 14 ………......…...............................................……. . 11. - S. vulgaris L.
3* Inflorescence with glandular hairs (sometimes sparse and on short stalks); bracts 2 - 4 ……………….....………………… 4
4   The whole plant is densely glandular fibrous (in the fresh state sticky) ………………….……….………. 10. - S. viscosus L.
4* The plant is cobwebby fibrous, only in the area of the inflorescence with glandular hairs ………..…… 9. - S. sylvaticus L.
5    Young twigs are usually cobwebby fibrous; inflorescence branches more or less erect ………. 8. - S. vernalis Waldst. & Kit.
5* Young twigs are usually almost glabrous or hairy; inflorescence branches spread ….……….... 7. - S. rupestris Waldst. & Kit.
6    Leaves linear, narrower than 1 cm …….................................................…… Unevenly toothed spores - S. inaequidens DC.
6* The leaves are not linear, wider than 1 cm ……………….................................................………………..……………….. 7
7   At least part of the leaves pinnately dissected ………….......................................................... 7. - S. rupestris Waldst. & Kit.
7* The leaves are not pinnately dissected …………..……..................................................…………………………………… 8
8    Baskets 1 (2 - 3) ……… …………................................................…….……… 6. Sunflower spores - S. doronicum (L.) L.
8* Baskets 3 or more ……………………………………...............................................…………………………………….. 9
9   Sheaths wide, as long or wider, broadly ringing, usually. wider than 10 mm, bracts 10 - 12 ...…..... 5. - S. macedonicus Griseb.
9* Sheaths longer than wide, cylindrical, usually narrower than 9 mm; bracts 2 – 10 ….........................................................….   10
10 Stem leaves more or less identical along the entire length of the stem, other than the bracts; lower leaves up to 20 cm long ………………………...…................................................................................................……….. 1 - 2. Group 5. nemorensis
10* Stem leaves rapidly decreasing in size to the top of the stem, the upper ones resembling bracts; lower leaves 20 - 50 cm long …………………………...........................................................................................................……………………………… 11
11    Stems and leaves fibrous, tonguel flowers 8 - 13; bracts leaflets covering the sheath up to 1/3 at most ....................................... ……….........................................................................................………………... ... ………… 4. - S. umbrosus Waldst. & Kit.
11* Stems and leaves bare; tongue blossoms 5 - 6; inflorescence leaves covering the shell to the middle…...................................... ………………………………………………...................................................................……..… 3. - S. macrophyllus M. Bieb.

¹ Developed by V. Vladimirov.
* Part of the study was financially supported by the SYNTHESYS Program (Project AT-TAF-146).

From:   „Флора на Република България”, том XI, БАН, Академично издателство „Проф. Марин Дринов”, София, (2013)

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Senecio /sɪˈniːʃi.oʊ/[2] is a genus of the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. The scientific Latin genus name, Senecio, means "old man."
Variously circumscribed taxonomically, the genus Senecio is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. The traditional circumscription of Senecio is artificial, being polyphyletic, even in its new circumscription which is based on genetic data.[3][4] Despite the separation of many species into other genera, the genus still contains c. 1,250 species and is one of the largest genera of flowering plants.[5] As no morphological synapomorphies are known to determine which species belong to the genus or not, no exact species number is known. The genus has an almost worldwide distribution[3] and evolved in the mid- to late Miocene.[6]
Some species produce natural biocides (especially alkaloids) to deter or even kill animals that would eat them.
Senecio species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species — see list of Lepidoptera that feed on Senecio. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been found in Senecio nemorensis[7] and in Senecio cannabifolius var. integrilifolius.[8]

Morphology

The flower heads are normally rayed with the heads borne in branched clusters, and usually completely yellow, but green, purple, white and blue flowers are known as well.
In its current circumscription, the genus contains species that are annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, small trees, aquatics or climbers. The only species which are trees are the species formerly belonging to Robinsonia occurring on the Juan Fernández Islands.[9]

Distribution

The genus Senecio is distributed almost worldwide.[3] It is one of the few genera occurring in all five regions with a Mediterranean climate. Furthermore, species are found in mountainous regions, including tropical alpine-like areas.

Synonyms

The following genera contain species that are or have been included within Senecio.[3] :
Listen after: en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Senecio

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Distribution in Bulgaria: (Conspectus of the Bulgarian Vascular Flora) = conspectus&gs_l= Zlc. Distribution:
References: „Флора на Република България”, том XI, БАН, Академично издателство „Проф. Марин Дринов”, София, (2013)

SPECIES:

Senecio rupestris Waldst.& Kit. - Oxford ragwort

Senecio vernalis Waldst.& Kit. - Eastern groundsel

Senecio vulgaris L. - Groundsel, Old-man-in-the-spring

E-mail: krnanev@gmail.com

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