sticky ragwort
Family
AsteraceaeScientific Name
Senecio viscosusHabit
Seedlings are hairless with oblong 3-11 mm long by 1-3 mm wide cotyledons. Mature plants have numerous branches reaching 75 cm and are covered with sticky hairs.
Leaves
Covered in short sticky hairs and alternate in arrangement leaves generally measure 3-12 cm long and are 1-5 cm wide. Stalkless and clasping, upper leaves are coarsely toothed to irregularly lobed. Meanwhile lower leaves are wavy-margined to deeply lobed.
Identifying Characteristics
Hollow stems, sticky hairs covering the entire plant with yellow flower heads composed of disc florets.
Flower Seed Head
7-15 mm across the flower heads are made up of 6-9 mm long yellow disk florets and a row of yellow-green floral bracts. Flower heads appear on the ends of branches.
Seed Fruit
The fruit a single-seeded achene contains a seed with 5-10 obvious veins ovate in shape, tan in color and 2-3 mm long. 3-4 mm long white bristles make up the pappus which aids is dispersal. A single plant can produce as many as 1,500 seeds
Where Found
Waste areas, railway grades, and roadsides are common homes for sticky groundsel.
Growth Habit
woody bush or tree
Thorns or Spines
not present
Approximate Flower Diameter
Varies:
pencil,
dime
Dominant Flower Color
Varies:
yellow,
red,
orange
Flower Symmetry
radial symmetery
Leaf Hairs
Varies:
no hairs,
has hairs
Leaf Shape
spatulate
Leaf Arrangement
alternate
Leaf Margin
Varies:
entire,
lobed,
serrated
Leaf Structure
Varies:
pinnate,
simple
Milky Sap
not present
Root Structure
taproot
Life Cycle
winter annual
Ochrea
not present
Plant Type
Herb