Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Senecio inaequidens

Family

Asteraceae

Flowering season

June to October

English distribution

It is found mainly in the Southeast and is scattered

elsewhere.

It is largely absent from the far Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map for Narrow-leaved Ragwort

Habitat

It is a neophyte, originally from South Africa, which spread

from France into the Southeast UK in the 1970s. It had

previously been seen in the UK as a contaminent of wool

shoddy.

It has become naturalised on dry, sandy soils, by roads and

railways, and on waste ground, especially near the coast.

It is increasing its range in the UK.

Description

Narrow-leaved Ragwort is a shrubby, perennial herb

growing up to 80cm.

The flowerheads are up to 2cm across.

The ray floret ligules are bright yellow, broad and droop.

Disc florets darken with age.

Seeds are attached to a pappus and are dispersed by wind.

Bracts are tipped with brown.

The leaves are linear, grooved, slightly toothed, sessile

and slightly clasp the stem.

The stem is much branched and woody at the base.