Senecio vulgaris L.

Erect, annual herb, 10–50 cm tall. Stems moderate to densely hairy when young, becoming glabrous or sparsely hairy, branched or not from base. Basal and lower cauline lvs sparsely to moderately hairy when young, becoming almost glabrous, petiolate or cuneately narrowed to stem; petiole < lamina, somewhat amplexicaul; lamina irregularly toothed to 1-pinnatifid, elliptic, narrow-obovate to oblong, acute, (1)–2–10 × (0.5)–1–3 cm; venation pinnate; segments ovate or oblong, irregularly dentate. Upper cauline lvs becoming smaller, narrower, apetiolate, and usually amplexicaul and toothed at base. Capitula in small panicles, dense at flowering, loose at fruiting. Supplementary bracts 8–21, lanceolate to triangular, 1–2.5 mm long. Involucral bracts (13)–18–21, linear, glabrous, 5.5–8 mm long. Ray florets 0. Disc dull yellow, 2–3–(4) mm diam. Achenes terete or slightly flattened, densely hairy between ribs, 1.8–2.8 mm long; pappus 4–7 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jan.–Dec.