Senecio vulgaris

Erect annual herb up to c. 40 cm tall, growing from a thick taproot. Stems covered in whitish felt-like hairs when young. Leaves alternate, subsessile, pinnately lobed, up to 6 cm long; margins toothed. Capitula in terminal compact branched heads, yellow, without ray-florets. Pappus of numerous barbellate bristles

"Notes: Western Ghats, Evergreen Forests, Naturalized, Native of North Temperate Region"

vulgaris: vulgar, common, usual

This adventive plant is a winter or summer annual about 4-12" tall that occasionally forms side stems in the upper half. The round stems often have fine veins or longitudinal ridges, and they are hollow on the inside. Toward the base of the plant, the stems are often purplish green. The alternate leaves are up to 4" long and ¾" across. They are usually odd pinnate and have a few blunt teeth along the margins in addition to the lobes. The terminal lobes are often truncated or notched, rather than pointed. The edges of the leaf margins curve downward (revolute). The lower leaves have short stout petioles, while the upper leaves are sessile or clasp the stems. Some of the uppermost leaves may be lanceolate or oblong and smaller in size. The hairiness of the stems and leaves is highly variable, ranging from nearly glabrous to densely covered with white hairs that are appressed and cobwebby in appearance.  The upper stems terminate in small dense clusters of composite flowers. Each composite flower is more or less cylindrical in shape, spanning about ¼" in diameter and ½" in length. Its apex is densely crowded with tiny yellow disk florets; there are no ray florets. Each disk floret has 5 slender lobes that curl backward when it is in bloom. The inner floral bracts are arranged in a row around the cylinder as a single series. They are slender and green, sometimes with black upper tips. There are also outer floral bracts that are shorter and spread outward from the base of the flowerhead. They are also slender and green, except that their upper tips are always black. The blooming period for a population of plants can occur from early spring to late fall. An individual plant remains in bloom for about 3-4 weeks. Each disk floret is replaced by a slender achene with a tuft of white hair, which facilitates distribution by wind. The surface of these achenes is finely pubescent and can become sticky when wet. The root system consists of a shallow taproot. This plant spreads by reseeding itself. Cultivation

Canada

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

In areas where it occurs, Common Groundsel is often locally common, otherwise it is uncommon or absent. In Illinois, Common Groundsel occurs primarily in NE Illinois and a few counties in central Illinois (see Distribution Map). Because this plant is rather inconspicuous, it is possible that official records underestimate its actual distribution within the state. Habitats include lawns, gardens, edges of yards, nursery plots, areas along railroads, and miscellaneous waste areas. It prefers highly disturbed areas where the vegetation is low or scant. Common Groundsel is native to Eurasia. Faunal Associations

Nile region, Oases, Mediterranean region and Eastern desert.

Europe, North Africa, southwest Asia, introduced to many temperate regions.

Senecio vulgaris L.:
Bolivia (South America)
Canada (North America)
Chile (South America)
Ecuador (South America)
United States (North America)
Greenland (North America)
Kenya (Africa & Madagascar)
Peru (South America)
Mongolia (Asia)
South Africa (Africa & Madagascar)
China (Asia)
Venezuela (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Native to Europe; a common weed in North America

Annuals, (10–)20–50(–60+) cm (taprooted). Herbage glabrous or sparsely and unevenly tomentose when young. Stems usually 1. Leaves evenly distributed; petiolate; blades ovate to oblanceolate, 2–10 × 0.5–2(–4) cm, bases tapered, margins lobulate to dentate, ultimate margins often secondarily dentate to denticulate (distal leaves sessile). Heads 8–20 in loose, corymbiform arrays. Calyculi of 2–4(–6+) bractlets (prominent, black-tipped, lengths about ¹ / 4 phyllaries). Phyllaries ± 21, 4–6 mm, tips usually green, sometimes black. Ray florets 0. Cypselae usually sparsely hairy, sometimes nearly glabrous. 2n = 40.

In areas where it occurs, Common Groundsel is often locally common, otherwise it is uncommon or absent. In Illinois, Common Groundsel occurs primarily in NE Illinois and a few counties in central Illinois (see Distribution Map). Because this plant is rather inconspicuous, it is possible that official records underestimate its actual distribution within the state. Habitats include lawns, gardens, edges of yards, nursery plots, areas along railroads, and miscellaneous waste areas. It prefers highly disturbed areas where the vegetation is low or scant. Common Groundsel is native to Eurasia. Faunal Associations

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / pathogen
embedded oospore of Albugo tragopogonis var. tragopogonis infects and damages live stem of Senecio vulgaris

Foodplant / sap sucker
Brachycaudus cardui sucks sap of Senecio vulgaris

Foodplant / parasite
sporangium of Bremia lactucae parasitises live leaf of Senecio vulgaris
Remarks: season: 9-10
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / parasite
uredium of Coleosporium tussilaginis parasitises live Senecio vulgaris
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Ensina sonchi feeds within capitulum of Senecio vulgaris
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / parasite
cleistothecium of Golovinomyces cichoracearum var. fischeri parasitises live Senecio vulgaris

Foodplant / open feeder
adult of Longitarsus gracilis grazes on leaf of Senecio vulgaris

Foodplant / parasite
grouped cluster-cup of aecium of Puccinia lagenophorae parasitises live stem of Senecio vulgaris
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
amphigenous colony of Ramularia hyphomycetous anamorph of Ramularia filaris var. filaris causes spots on live leaf of Senecio vulgaris

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Sphenella marginata feeds within capitulum of Senecio vulgaris

Foodplant / internal feeder
larva of Trupanea stellata feeds within capitulum of Senecio vulgaris
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / miner
larva of Trypeta artemisiae mines leaf of Senecio vulgaris
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / miner
larva of Trypeta immaculata mines leaf of Senecio vulgaris
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / miner
larva of Trypeta zoe mines leaf of Senecio vulgaris

Senecio vulgaris (groundsel (forb/shrub)) is prey of:
Diptera
Auchenorrhyncha
Sternorrhyncha
Hymenoptera
Thysanoptera

Based on studies in:
USA: California, Cabrillo Point (Grassland)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 16
Specimens with Barcodes: 23
Species With Barcodes: 1

Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable