Senecio is a genus of plants in the Asteraceae (sunflower) family, including groundsels and ragwort. The botanical name Senecio means “old man“.
The taxonomically diverse genus Senecio is among the largest genera of plants. The Senecio genus is distributed almost all over the world. However, it’s among the few genera in the 5 regions with Mediterranean climates. In addition, the species is found in mountainous regions, including the alpine-type tropics.
Despite dividing many species into other genera, the Senecio genus still comprises 1, 250 species[1]. The inflorescences are usually striped, with the flower heads in branching clusters, typically entirely yellow.
Still, blue, white, purple, and green flowers are also known. In her current constituency, the genus includes species that are perennial or annual shrubs, herbs, small trees, aquatic plants, or climbing plants.
The only tree species are the Robinsonia species found on the Juan Fernández Islands.
