Senecio barbertonicus

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Senecio barbertonicus
Barberton Groundsel
Barberton Groundsel
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Senecioneae
Genus: Senecio
Binomial name
Senecio barbertonicus
Klatt[1]
Range of Senecio barbertonicus.
Range of Senecio barbertonicus.

Senecio barbertonicus Klatt. common names of Barberton Groundsel[2] or Succulent Bush Senecio[3] is an evergreen succulent shrub of the family Asteraceae and genus Senecio, native to Southern Africa,[1] named after one of its native localities Barberton and is now also being cultivated elsewhere for its drought resistance, clusters of sweetly scented,[3] golden yellow, tufted flower heads in winter and attractiveness to butterflies,[2] the Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) in particular.[4]

Contents

[edit] Description

A succulent bush growing over 6 feet (2 m) tall and wide with a fleshy trunk, light green, cylindrical, finger-like leaves 2 inches (5 cm) to 4 inches (10 cm) in length and .2 inches (0.51 cm) to .4 inches (1.0 cm) in diameter, densely packed around the stem and curved at the base to lie parallel to the stem and pointing upwards.[5]

The fragrant yellow flowers, .4 inches (1.0 cm) wide and 3 inches (7.6 cm) long, bloom July through September,[3] are terminal and produce seeds with a dense tuft of bristles.

S. barbertonicus is hardy to at least 25 °F (−4 °C).[4]

[edit] Distribution

S. barbertonicus prefers the preferring rocky grassland, bushveld in the area of Southern Africa from East to Zimbabwe, including South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique[3] at altitudes between 110 feet (34 m) and 550 feet (170 m).[6]

Found specifically growing in protected areas scattered in eastern, central, and southwestern Swaziland[7] in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North-West.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b The Southern African Botanical Diversity Network (2006-01-20). Final Swaziland Tree ATlas index (PDF). Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
  2. ^ a b The Friends of U.C. Riverside Botanic Gardens (2007-10-20). SHRUBS (HTML). Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
  3. ^ a b c d Carruthers, Vincent [2005] (2005). "Wild Flowers", The Wildlife of Southern Africa: A Field Guide to the Animals and Plants of the Region (HTML), Struik, 310 pages. ISBN 1868724514. Retrieved on 2008-02-27. 
  4. ^ a b Senecio barbertonicus - Succulent Bush Senecio (HTML). San Marcos Growers Web Site. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
  5. ^ Senecio barbertonicus Klatt (HTML). Swaziland's Flora Database. South African National Botanical Institute (PRECIS database) and the Swaziland National Herbarium. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
  6. ^ a b Senecio barbertonicus Klatt (HTML). African Flowering Plants Database. Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Villle de Genève and South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
  7. ^ The Southern African Botanical Diversity Network. SABONET Tree Atlas Report No. 38 (PDF). Swaziland Tree Atlas. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.


[edit] Further reading

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