Senecio blochmaniae is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common names dune ragwort and Blochman's ragwort. It is endemic to the Central Coast of California, where it is known only from the direct coastline of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties. It grows in sand dunes and sandy areas on coastal floodplains. It is a subshrub producing several arching stems often well exceeding a meter tall from a thick taproot. The stems are covered in many leaves, which are linear in shape, thick, and measure up to 12 centimeters long. The lower leaves become dry and curl up. The flower heads are lined by about 13 green-tipped phyllaries.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it poisonous?
Considered toxic. Public sources list it as such; we have not verified this individually. The note covers its whole genus. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids; liver damage with repeated ingestion Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Senecio riddellii — considered toxic
- Senecio subulatus — considered toxic
- Ericameria arborescens
- Senecio linifolius — considered toxic
- Senecio pampeanus — considered toxic
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Genus
- Senecio
- Species
- Senecio blochmaniae
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