Senecio dolichocephalus
I.Thomps. Mallee FireweedErect annual herb to 60 cm high; stems often woolly basally, appressed-cottony to mid-way up stem, sparsely cottony or ± glabrous mid-way up stem to apex. Leaves sessile, not dissected or occasionally coarse-dentate to lobate, with remotely denticulate or dentate margins. Mid-stem leaves attenuate at base, oblanceolate to narrow-elliptic, 3–12(–15) cm long, 2–15 mm wide; upper surface scabridulous, sometimes transiently sparsely cobwebby also, becoming glabrous upwards; lower surface usually purple, coarse-hairy, often with a weak cobwebby overlay. Upper leaves sometimes auriculate, narrow-linear; upper surface ± glabrous, cobwebby, sometimes very sparsely coarse-hairy; lower surface cobwebby. Inflorescence corymbose, typically with 20–60 capitula; capitula non-radiate; involucre narrowly cylindric, 8.5–12.0 mm long, glabrous; bracts 12–14; bracteoles present; florets 40–60, bisexual and female. Cypselas weakly lageniform, 3.0–4.0 mm long, reddish or brown, sometimes green, papillose-hairy in lines; pappus of slender hairs 7–9 mm long, deciduous. Flowers spring–summer.
LoM, MuM, Wim, RobP, Gold, NIS. Also WA, SA. In Victoria in the north-west in sandy soil in woodlands and shrublands.
This species is somewhat intermediate in morphology between Senecio quadridentatus and S. phelleus (Thompson 2004a). The capitula are much longer than in S. phelleus and at the higher end of the range for S. quadridentatus (Thompson 2004a). As in S. phelleus, the leaves tend to be broader and relatively crowded basally (Thompson 2004a).
Thompson, I.R. (2004a). Taxonomic studies of Australian Senecio (Asteraceae): 1. The disciform species. Muelleria 19: 101–214.
