( 52 .) 
SENE'CIO* * * * § 
Linnean Class and Order. Syngf.ne'sia, Polyga'mia, Su- 
pe'rflua f. 
Natural Order. Compo'sitai+. Tribe, Corymbi'feRjE §. 
Juss. — Lindl. Syn. pp. 140 & 142; Introduct. to Nat. Syst. pp. 
197 & 199. — Synanthe'reje. Tribe, Corymbi'fer^e. — Rich, 
by Macgilliv. pp. 454 & 455. 
Gen. Char. Involucrum ( common calyx ) (fig. 1.) double; the 
inner cylindrical, of numerous, equal, parallel, strap-shaped, con- 
tiguous scales ; the outer of a smaller number of minute imbricated 
scales at the base of the former, and, like those, all withered-looking, 
and generally black at the tips. Corolla compound, longer than, the 
calyx ; florets of the disk (fig. 2.) numerous, all perfect, (having 
both stamens and a pistil,) tubular, with 5 equal segments ; florets 
of the ray (fig. 3.) strap-shaped, slightly toothed, various in length, 
without stamens, sometimes (as is the case in senecio vulgaris, or 
common groundsel) the florets of the ray are wanting. Filaments 5, 
slender, short. Anthers united into a cylindrical tube. Germen, in 
all the florets, inversely egg-shaped, small. Style thread-shaped, 
as long as the stamens. Stigmas 2, oblong, spreading. Seed- 
vessel none, but the unchanged, finally spreading, calyx (fig. 4). 
Seed inversely egg-shaped, rather angular. Seed-down simple, 
sessile, hair-like, roughish (fig. 5). Receptacle naked, tessellated, 
slightly convex. 
Herbaceous or shrubby plants, with an upright stem ; undivided, 
serrated, or variously pinnatifid, smooth, or downy, leaves. And 
corymbose flowers, which are, in all the British species, yellow. — 
Distinguished from other genera in the same class and order, by the 
naked receptacle , simple seed-down, and the double involucrum, or 
common calyx, the scales of which have withered-looking, black 
tips. 
Ten species British. 
SENE'CIO SQUA'LIDUS. Inelegant Ragwort. 
Fig. 1. Calyx. — Fig. 2. A Floret of the Disk. — Fig. 3. A Floret of the Ray. — 
Fig. 4. Calyx reflexed, showing the receptacle and a seed. — Fig. 5. A single 
Ray of the Down or Pappus. — All, except Figs. 1 & 4, more or less magnified. 
* From senex, an old man ; or senescere, to grow old ; the flowers going 
off early, and producing their seeds crowned with a down, like grey hairs. — 
Dr. Martyn. 
t The second order of the Linnean class Syncene'sia, comprehending all 
those compound flowers in which th e florets of the disk have, each of them, 
5 stamens and a pistil, and th e florets of the ray a pistil only, and all producing 
perfect seed. 
t See Prenanthes Muralis, p. 27 
§ This tribe contains all those CoMro'srr.i. in which the florets of the disk 
ar efloscular (tubular), and which have the stigma not articulated with the 
style. See Achillea Pturmica, p. 36. 
