| Senecio californicus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Tribe: | Senecioneae |
| Genus: | Senecio |
| Species: | S. californicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Senecio californicus DC. |
|
Senecio californicus is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name California ragwort. It is native to California as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area, and Baja California. It grows in sandy areas in several habitat types, and it is often seen at the coast in habitat such as sand dunes. It is an annual herb growing 10 to 40 centimeters tall or sometimes taller, from a taproot. The stems are solitary or grow in branching clusters. The leaves have linear or lance-shaped blades up to 7 centimeters long. They are sometimes fleshy, especially in plants that occur on the coastline. The inflorescence produces one to ten or more flower heads, which are lined with usually about 21 black-tipped phyllaries. They contain many yellow disc florets and each has usually 13 yellow ray florets about a centimeter long.