Groundsels, ragworts, and allies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The origin of the word groundsel is rather obscure. It seems that it stems from Old English gundæswelgiæ, probably derived from gund (‘pus’) and swelgan (‘to swallow’), referring to the usage of the plants in poultices. A later form was grundeswylige, which may allude to the ground, referring to the rapid growth of these plants.

The name ragwort was given in allusion to the ragged foliage of many of these plants.

 

 

The genus was described by French botanist Charles Antoine Lemaire (1800-1871), who named it in honour of horticulturalist M. Delaire (1810-1856) in Orléans, who sent the type specimen to Lemaire.

 

It is a climbing herb, which may grow to 4 m long. A folk name of the plant is Cape ivy, referring to its leaves, which somewhat resemble those of the English ivy (Hedera helix). The leaves are glossy, to 10 cm long and 8 cm wide, with up to 10 pointed lobes. The small flowerheads, to 1 cm long, lack ray florets, whereas the disc florets are yellow, fragrant.

It is found in a variety of disturbed habitats, including forest margins and roadsides, and it is especially common in coastal areas.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘fragrant’.

 

 

 

 

 

These crooked beings may grow for 30-50 years without blooming, then suddenly exploding in an abundance of yellow flowers, gathered in a huge, terminal inflorescence. The flowering is often synchronized, with many individuals blooming simultaneously. After flowering, the plant grows a new branch, and the next flowering takes place at the end of this branch. Research indicates that a plant can only flower four times before dying.

The generic name is composed of Ancient Greek dendron (‘tree’), and the genus name Senecio (see below).

 

The trunk may grow to 10 m tall, with a diameter up to 40 cm. Between 25 and 60 leaves are densely packed in a rosette at the top, and withered leaves often cover the trunk 1-3 m beneath the rosette. The elliptic or heart-shaped leaves may reach a length of 1 m and a width of 25 cm, and the branched flower cluster a length of 1.6 m and a width of 60 cm. The flowerheads have none or up to 20 ray florets, and up to 250 disc florets.

The specific name is Latin, composed of the prefix ad (‘near’) and nivalis (‘of snow’), derived from nix (‘snow’), thus ‘found near the snow’.

My visit to the Ruwenzori Mountains is related on the page Travel episodes – Zaire 1981: The ghost forest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘found in Kenya’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is composed of Ancient Greek dendron (‘tree’), with the prefix kenio, thus ‘tree of Kenya’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name refers to Jacobus, in English called James the Great, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. He is the patron saint of Spain and, according to tradition, his remains are housed in the city of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, known as the culmination of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.

 

It is distributed in the Himalaya, from Pakistan eastwards to Arunachal Pradesh, growing in open areas and shrubberies at altitudes between 2,400 and 4,000 m.

It is used medicinally for treatment of body swelling, debility, and sore throat. An infusion of the root is taken for indigestion.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek analogia (‘similar to’). Presumably, it refers to another species of groundsel.

Previously, this species was called Senecio laetus or Senecio chrysanthemoides, the latter alluding to its chrysanthemum-like leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is distributed in the major part of Europe, but is missing in Finland and Russia. It also occurs in Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘growing in water’.

 

 

 

 

 

It is distributed around the Mediterranean, and has also become naturalized in other places, including the British Isles, France, and central Europe, escaping from cultivation.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘found near the sea’.

 

 

 

 

 

The stem is erect, green or reddish, usually smooth, much branched, sometimes reaching a height of 2 m, but usually lower. The leaves, to 20 cm long and 6 cm wide, are pinnately lobed, the lobes toothed along the margin. The very numerous flowerheads, to 2.5 cm across, have 10-15 yellow, strap-shaped ray florets and many orange disc florets. The flowers are much visited by bees, hover flies, and butterflies.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘common’.

The name tansy ragwort refers to the foliage, which somewhat resembles that of tansy (Tanacetum vulgare). Popular names also include stinking willie and mare’s fart, alluding to the unpleasant smell of the leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The genus was named in honour of American botanist Jesse More Greenman (1867-1951), who specialized in tropical flora, especially from Mexico and Central America. From 1913, he was curator of the herbarium at Missouri Botanical Garden.

 

It is a shrub, to 4 m tall, stem sparsely hairy, leaves very large, to 60 cm long and 28 cm broad, ovate, obovate, or lanceolate, margin coarsely toothed or lobed, sometimes pinnately divided towards the base. Flowerheads to 2 cm long, ray florets yellow, to 1.3 cm long and 2 mm broad, disc florets orange-yellow.

It grows in wet forests and along roads, at elevations between 1,000 and 2,500 m. The flowering time is long, from January to November.

The specific name honours botanist Juan J. Cooper (1843-1911), who collected one of the original specimens used to describe the species.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name was given in honour of German naturalist, historian, mathematician, and diplomat Jacob Theodor Klein (1685-1759), who established a botanical garden in Danzig (today Gdansk), and a cabinet of natural history, known as Museum Kleinianum.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘with leaves like Nerium‘ (the oleander).

 

 

 

 

 

The sap has a strong acrid or resinous smell.

It occurs from Ethiopia and Somalia southwards to Tanzania, growing from sea level up to elevations around 1,700 m.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin ligula (‘strap’), referring to the shape of the ray florets.

 

It is distributed in the Himalaya, from Kashmir eastwards to Bhutan, growing in shrubberies and forest clearings, often near streams, at elevations between 2,700 and 4,800 m.

In Tibet, stem, leaves, and flowers are used as a cooling and astringent medicine, and for indigestion. In Nepal, the pounded root is applied to sprains and dislocated bones.

The specific name refers to the stem-clasping leaves, derived from the Latin amplexus (‘clasped’) and‎ caulis (‘stem’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name honours English-Canadian botanist John George Packer (1929-2019), who obtained his degree from the University of London. In 1957, he joined the Botany Department at the University of Alberta, and for about 30 years he concentrated on the taxonomy of Arctic and alpine plants. He was the author of Vascular Plants of Alberta.

 

It is native to the south-eastern United States, from New York State southwards to Florida, and thence westwards to Louisiana, growing at forest margins, along roads, and in various disturbed areas.

The specific name refers to its earlier classification as Senecio anonymus, meaning ‘the anonymous ragwort’. This strange name was caused by the plant initially being described as an unnamed species in the genus Senecio.

The common name Small’s ragwort honours American botanist John Kunkel Small (1869-1938), who studied plants in the south-eastern United States and wrote a book about the deterioration of habitats in Florida. At one time, the plant was named Senecio smallii.

 

 

 

 

 

The stem is to 60 cm tall, erect, branched above. Like the previous species, it has two kinds of leaves, basal ones numerous, evergreen, stalked, heart- or kidney-shaped, to 10 cm long and broad, margin with rounded teeth, underside often purplish. The stem leaves are much smaller, stalkless or clasping the stem, oblong in outline, deeply pinnately divided, margin toothed. They gradually become smaller up the stem. Inflorescences are flat-topped clusters of flowerheads, each to 2.5 cm across, ray florets yellow, narrow, disc florets orange-yellow.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘golden’, of course referring to the flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin senex (‘old man’), alluding to the white seed hairs of the genus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This plant is found in rocky areas on calcareous soils in central and southern Europe, growing at elevations between 1,500 and 3,100 m.

The specific name refers to the flowerheads, which resemble those of the genus Doronicum (presented on the page Plants: Flora in the Alps and the Pyrenees).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is rather common, found from Kashmir eastwards to south-western China and Malaysia. In the Himalaya, it grows in shrubberies, and along forest margins and streams, found at altitudes between 2,000 and 4,100 m.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘with slender flowers’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In its native area, this species grows in a wide variety of disturbed habitats, including heavily grazed or recently burned grasslands, roadsides, and river banks, from sea level to altitudes around 2,850 m. In Europe, it is mostly found along highways and railways.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘with unequal teeth’, alluding to the unequal teeth along the leaf margin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stem erect, simple below, branched above, sometimes to 1 m tall, leaves numerous, both basal and up the stem, sessile or short-stalked, narrowly lanceolate to ovate or oblong, decurrent, to 20 cm long and 2.7 cm wide, margin toothed. Inflorescences are terminal clusters of few or many flowerheads, ray florets usually 5-6, yellow, to 1.5 cm long and 3 mm wide, disc florets dark yellow.

It grows in forest edges and clearings, along forest roads, and in alpine meadows, at altitudes between 1,600 and 3,500 m.

The specific name is derived from the Latin nemus (‘wood’), thus ‘grows in woods’).

 

 

 

 

 

The stem is erect, to 60 cm tall, hairless or slightly hairy, leaves lanceolate, with numerous small teeth along the margin. Flowerheads are in small, stalked clusters at the apex, each to 3.5 cm across, with 10-16 yellow, strap-shaped ray florets and numerous orange disc florets.

The obsolete specific name was given in honour of French physician and botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708) who undertook an expedition to the Middle East 1700-1702, accompanied by German physician and botanist Andreas von Gundelsheimer (c. 1668-1715) and French artist Claude Aubriet (c. 1665-1742).

 

 

 

 

 

It has very slender, zig-zag stems, occasionally to 4 m long, and arrow-shaped, long-pointed leaves, to 12 cm long and 4.5 cm wide, often with lobes at the base, and terminal, branched clusters of flowerheads, each to 8 mm long, florets yellow, ray florets to 5 mm long. It flowers in the autumn, from August to December.

This plant is very widely distributed in Asia, from Uttarakhand in northern India across Tibet and Qinghai to Japan, southwards to Sri Lanka, Indochina, the Philippines, and Sulawesi. It grows in a variety of habitats, including forests, shrubberies, on slopes and buildings, and along streams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is an annual herb, stem erect, branched, to 80 cm tall, with short hairs, leaves sessile or short-stalked, to 7 cm long and 3 cm wide, pinnately divided, with toothed lobes. The numerous inflorescences are spreading from the end of branches, involucral bracts often black-tipped. Florets are yellow, disc florets numerous, compact, ray florets rather few, tiny, often recurved.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘grows in woods’, derived from silva (‘forest’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its habitats include roadsides, fields, waste places, inner parts of beaches, and other open, disturbed areas.

Originally, it was a native of south-eastern Europe and western Asia, but was accidentally introduced to other parts of Europe in the 1700s, presumably with imported crops. Today, it is extremely common, especially on poor soils, and is regarded as a severe pest in grass, clover, and alfalfa fields.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘of the spring’, derived from ver (‘spring’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is very similar to woodland ragwort (S. sylvaticus, above), which, however, does not have sticky glandular hairs. Sticky ragwort also has longer ray florets, which are initially spreading, later recurved.

Originally, sticky ragwort was a native of southern and central Europe and western Asia. Since the 1800s, it has spread considerably and has become naturalized in northern Europe, Canada, United States, and elsewhere.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘sticky’, derived from viscum, the classical word for a birdlime, made from berries of the common mistletoe (Viscum album).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a slender plant, smooth or slightly hairy, sometimes growing to 60 cm tall, but usually lower. Leaves are abundant, pinnately divided, to 6 cm long and 2.5 cm broad, smaller upwards, oblong or spoon-billed in outline, lower leaves stalked, upper sessile, lobes toothed. Inflorescences are dense terminal clusters, each containing up to 22 tiny flowerheads, to 1 cm long and 4 mm across, ray florets missing, disc florets yellow, surrounded by conspicuous black-tipped bracts – a characteristic of many members of the genus Senecio.

It resembles woodland ragwort and sticky ragwort, but lacks ray florets and has no glandular hairs.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘common’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The etymology of the generic name is unexplained.

 

It has a shrubby stem, occasionally to 2 m high, but often much lower, with very many stalked, lanceolate or elliptic leaves, to 22 cm long and 4 cm wide. The numerous flowerheads are tiny, to 6 mm long, in dense, terminal, branched clusters, florets yellow, ray florets short. It flowers from August to November.

In Nepal, alcohol is produced from the plant. Medicinally, juice of the root is given for fever, and a paste of the leaves is applied to boils.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘cloak’ or ‘cape’. What it refers to is not clear.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek tephros (‘ash-coloured’), presumably referring to the woolly leaves of some species; and seris, the classical Greek word for endive or chicory. The leaves of marsh fleawort (below) are somewhat endive-like.

 

The entire plant is covered in whitish hairs. The stem is erect, stiff, simple, occasionally to 1 m tall, but usually much lower. The basal leaves, which form a rosette, are obovoid, entire or with coarse teeth, stem leaves narrow, lanceolate, entire, clasping the stem. The flowerheads form a terminal umbel, each head to 2.5 cm across, ray florets yellow, tongue-shaped, disc florets orange-yellow.

Young leaves are edible when cooked. The plant was formerly utilized to expel parasites.

The specific name is derived from the Latin integer (‘entire’) and folium (‘leaf’), referring to the stem leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

Flowerheads, to 1.3 cm across, are numerous, the terminal cluster often containing more than 20 heads, and much larger than the ones from the leaf axils. Ray florets are numerous, pale yellow, disc florets orange-yellow.

It is found in a vast area, from northern and central Europe eastwards across temperate Asia to the Pacific coast, and in North America, southwards to northern United States.

As the specific name informs, it grows in swampy areas. It is derived from the Latin palus (‘swamp’).