Senecioneae
Encyclopedia
Senecioneae is the largest tribe
of the Asteraceae
, or the sunflower family, comprising approximately 150 genera and 3,000 species. Almost one-third of the species in this tribe are placed in the genus
Senecio
. Its members exhibit probably the widest possible range of form to be found anywhere in the entire plant kingdom and include annuals
, minute creeping alpines
, perennial herbs, shrub
s, climbers, succulents
, tree
s and semi-aquatic plant
s.
Plants in this tribe are responsible for more livestock poisonings than all other plants combined. The poisons are particularly pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Senecio
and furanoeremophilanes in Tetradymia
.
A number of species are well known in horticulture
.
, the "premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century"
considerable efforts have been made to classify and understand the striking morphological
diversity in Senecioneae.
The traditional view of the tribe has been that of one huge genus Senecio
plus many other genera which exhibit varying degrees of distinctiveness.
Circumscription and delimitation of the tribe has experienced expansions and contractions over the decades as genera and groups of genera have been moved in and out,
as was the case for Arnica
, Liabum
, Munnozia
, Schistocarpha
, etc. which have since then been excluded.
Of the several potential causes for this constant redefinition the greatest is probably that little is known about its intergeneric relationships or a lack of phylogenetic
understanding enhanced by the other problems of conflicting clues from morphological characters, the large size of the tribe, the absence of a precise delimitation or circumscription of Senecio and the naturalness of these assemblages combined with the imprecise boundaries of the different species themselves.
Many segregate genera have been recognized in recent studies, often with circumscriptions derived from selected representative species. It is yet unclear that the recognition of numerous segregate genera provides a better taxonomy than treating the variation patterns as infrageneric taxa
. A respectable case can be made for maintaining Senecio as a broad concept, at least until revisionary studies at the species level are carried out and the results subjected to critical analyses.
Most genera that have been removed from Senecioneae in its broadest sense have come to rest within Liabeae
or within a broadly circumscribed Heliantheae
(e.g., allies in Arnicinae, Chaenactidinae, or Madiinae; Haploësthes
in Flaveriinae; Raillardella
and allies in Madiinae). Additional information may be found in B. G. Baldwin et al. (2002), H. Robinson (1981), B. Nordenstam
(1977–1978) and K. Bremer (1994).
Tribe (biology)
In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
of the Asteraceae
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
, or the sunflower family, comprising approximately 150 genera and 3,000 species. Almost one-third of the species in this tribe are placed in the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Senecio
Senecio
Senecio is a genus of the daisy family that includes ragworts and groundsels. The flower heads are normally rayed, completely yellow, and the heads are borne in branched clusters...
. Its members exhibit probably the widest possible range of form to be found anywhere in the entire plant kingdom and include annuals
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
, minute creeping alpines
Alpine plant
Alpine plants are plants that grow in the alpine climate, which occurs at high elevation and above the tree line. Alpine plants grow together as a plant community in alpine tundra.-Alpine plant diversity:...
, perennial herbs, shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s, climbers, succulents
Succulent plant
Succulent plants, also known as succulents or fat plants, are water-retaining plants adapted to arid climates or soil conditions. Succulent plants store water in their leaves, stems, and also in roots...
, tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s and semi-aquatic plant
Aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...
s.
Plants in this tribe are responsible for more livestock poisonings than all other plants combined. The poisons are particularly pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Senecio
Senecio
Senecio is a genus of the daisy family that includes ragworts and groundsels. The flower heads are normally rayed, completely yellow, and the heads are borne in branched clusters...
and furanoeremophilanes in Tetradymia
Tetradymia
Tetradymia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae.The ten species are all shrubs native to western North America....
.
A number of species are well known in horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
.
Classification
Since the time days of BenthamGeorge Bentham
George Bentham CMG FRS was an English botanist, characterized by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century".- Formative years :...
, the "premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century"
considerable efforts have been made to classify and understand the striking morphological
Plant morphology
Plant morphology or phytomorphology is the study of the physical form and external structure of plants. This is usually considered distinct from plant anatomy, which is the study of the internal structure of plants, especially at the microscopic level...
diversity in Senecioneae.
The traditional view of the tribe has been that of one huge genus Senecio
Senecio
Senecio is a genus of the daisy family that includes ragworts and groundsels. The flower heads are normally rayed, completely yellow, and the heads are borne in branched clusters...
plus many other genera which exhibit varying degrees of distinctiveness.
Circumscription and delimitation of the tribe has experienced expansions and contractions over the decades as genera and groups of genera have been moved in and out,
as was the case for Arnica
Arnica
Arnica is a genus with about 30 perennial, herbaceous species, belonging to the sunflower family . The genus name Arnica may be derived from the Greek arna, "lamb", in reference to the soft, hairy leaves....
, Liabum
Liabum
Liabum is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.-Selected species:* Liabum acuminatum*Liabum amplexicaule*Liabum asperifolium* Liabum barclayae*Liabum cardenasii*Liabum corymbosum*Liabum eriocaulon...
, Munnozia
Munnozia
Munnozia is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains, inter alia, the following species:* Munnozia asplundii* Munnozia campii* Munnozia canarensis* Munnozia liaboides* Munnozia pinnatipartita...
, Schistocarpha
Schistocarpha
Schistocarpha is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family....
, etc. which have since then been excluded.
Of the several potential causes for this constant redefinition the greatest is probably that little is known about its intergeneric relationships or a lack of phylogenetic
Phylogenetics
In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices...
understanding enhanced by the other problems of conflicting clues from morphological characters, the large size of the tribe, the absence of a precise delimitation or circumscription of Senecio and the naturalness of these assemblages combined with the imprecise boundaries of the different species themselves.
Many segregate genera have been recognized in recent studies, often with circumscriptions derived from selected representative species. It is yet unclear that the recognition of numerous segregate genera provides a better taxonomy than treating the variation patterns as infrageneric taxa
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
. A respectable case can be made for maintaining Senecio as a broad concept, at least until revisionary studies at the species level are carried out and the results subjected to critical analyses.
Most genera that have been removed from Senecioneae in its broadest sense have come to rest within Liabeae
Liabeae
Liabeae is a tribe of the Asteraceae native to the Neotropics....
or within a broadly circumscribed Heliantheae
Heliantheae
Heliantheae is the third largest tribe in the sunflower family . With some 190 genera and nearly 2500 recognized species, only the tribes Senecioneae and Astereae are larger. The name is derived from the genus Helianthus, which is Greek for sun flower. Most genera and species are found in North...
(e.g., allies in Arnicinae, Chaenactidinae, or Madiinae; Haploësthes
Haploesthes
Haploesthes is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family....
in Flaveriinae; Raillardella
Raillardella
Raillardella is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family. The genus is native to the western United States of Oregon, California, and Nevada.There are three species:*Raillardella argentea - silky raillardella...
and allies in Madiinae). Additional information may be found in B. G. Baldwin et al. (2002), H. Robinson (1981), B. Nordenstam
Bertil Nordenstam
Rune Bertil Nordenstam is a Swedish botanist and professor emeritus at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in the Department of Phanerogamic Botany.He has worked with Colchicaceae, Senecioneaeand Calenduleae,...
(1977–1978) and K. Bremer (1994).
Genera
Selection of genera compiled from several lists:- AbrotanellaAbrotanellaAbrotanella is a genus in the family Asteraceae, of about 20 species, native to New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and temperate South America....
- AcrisioneAcrisioneAcrisione is a genus of the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae and a native of Chile. Most if not all of its members used to be placed in Senecio....
- Adenostyles
- AequatoriumAequatoriumAequatorium is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family and members of the tribe Senecioneae which are native to South America.It contains the following species:* Aequatorium asterotrichum* Aequatorium cajamarcense H. Rob. & Cuatrec....
- AlciopeAlciopeAlciope is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- AntillanthusAntillanthusAntillanthus is a genus of the tribe Senecioneae in the family Asteraceae. Many members of this genus were previously listed as Pentacalia and Senecio.-Species:*Antillanthus acunae B.Nord.**Pentacalia acunae Borhidi...
- Arnoglossum
- BarkleyanthusBarkleyanthusBarkleyanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- BedfordiaBedfordiaBedfordia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Asteraceae. The genus includes 3 species, all endemic to Australia.-Description:Bedfordia are shrubs or small trees....
- BethencourtiaBethencourtiaBethencourtia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- BlennospermaBlennospermaBlennosperma is a genus of plants which contains only three species. They are known commonly as stickyseeds; indeed, the name Blennosperma is Greek for "slimy seed." Two of these species are endemic to California in the United States...
- BrachyglottisBrachyglottisBrachyglottis is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family; a genus which has existed since November 29, 1775when Johann Reinhold Forster & Georg Forster created the genus with this name from the Greek words brachus meaning short...
- CadiscusCadiscusCadiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- CacaliopsisCacaliopsisCacaliopsis is a monotypic genus in the daisy family which contains the single species Cacaliopsis nardosmia , which is known by the common name silvercrown. This is a rhizomatous perennial native to the forests and moist meadows of the west coast of North America, from northern California to...
- CaucasaliaCaucasaliaCaucasalia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- CaxamarcaCaxamarcaCaxamarca is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- ChersodomaChersodomaChersodoma is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- CinerariaCinerariaCineraria is now generally treated as a genus of about 50 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to southern Africa...
- CissampelopsisCissampelopsisCissampelopsis is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- CrassocephalumCrassocephalumCrassocephalum is a genus the common names of whose members include ragleaf, thickhead, and bologi. Several species are raised as leaf vegetables and used for medicine, especially in West Africa.-Species:Species include:...
- CrocidiumCrocidium (plant)Crocidium is a monotypic genus of plants in the daisy family containing the single species Crocidium multicaule, which is known by the common name spring gold. This plant is native to western North America from British Columbia to California, where it can be found in varied habitats from grassland...
- CremanthodiumCremanthodiumCremanthodium is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- DelaireaDelaireaDelairea is a plant genus within the family Asteraceae. It is classified within tribe Senecioneae. It contains only one species, Delairea odorata, which was previously included in the genus Senecio as Senecio mikanioides, and is known as cape ivy in some parts of the world and German ivy in...
- DendrophorbiumDendrophorbiumDendrophorbium is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains the following species:* Dendrophorbium amplexicaule* Dendrophorbium angelense* Dendrophorbium balsapampae* Dendrophorbium dielsii...
- DicerococladosDicerococladosDicerococlados is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- DolichorrhizaDolichorrhizaDolichorrhiza is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- DolichoglottisDolichoglottisDolichoglottis is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- DorobaeaDorobaeaDorobaea is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- DoronicumDoronicumDoronicum is a genus of the botanical family Asteraceae.-Selected species:*Doronicum altaicum*Doronicum atlanticum* Doronicum austriacum Jacq.*Doronicum briquetii* Doronicum cacaliifolium Boiss. & Heldr....
- ElekmaniaElekmaniaElekmania is a genus of the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae. Most if not all of its members used to be placed in Senecio. It has been known to heal a person of blindness but causes a person to go deaf if eaten in too large of a dose....
- EmiliaEmilia (genus)Emilia is a herbaceous plant genus of about 50–100 species in the family Asteraceae, known as tasselflower or pualele. The members of the genus are distributed mainly in the tropics and sub-tropics.-Species List:...
- ErechtitesErechtitesErechtites is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family known commonly as fireweeds or burnweeds. They are native to the Americas, but some species are widely distributed weeds. Some species in this genus are treated as members of Senecio by some authors, and several other species are...
- EuryopsEuryopsEuryops is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains the following species:*Euryops chrysanthemoides* Euryops mucosus* Euryops pectinatus* Euryops virgineus* Euryops walterorum...
- FarfugiumFarfugiumFarfugium is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- GymnodiscusGymnodiscusGymnodiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- GynuraGynuraGynura is an Asian genus of the botanical family Asteraceae. , subfamily Asteroideae, tribe Senecioneae.The most known species is Gynura aurantiaca, so called because of the color of its orange inflorescences. This plant is also commonly known as "Purple Passion" because of the velvety purple leaves...
- GynoxysGynoxysGynoxys is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains the following species:* Gynoxys acostae* Gynoxys azuayensis* Gynoxys baccharoides* Gynoxys campii* Gynoxys chagalensis* Gynoxys chimborazensis...
- HaastiaHaastiaHaastia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- HasteolaHasteolaHasteola is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- HertiaHertia (genus)Hertia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- HomogyneHomogyneHomogyne is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae.-Selected species:*Homogyne alpina*Homogyne discolor*Homogyne sylvestris...
- IranecioIranecioIranecio is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- JacobaeaJacobaeaJacobaea is a genus of the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae. Most if not all of its members used to be placed in the genus Senecio.-Species:*Jacobaea abrotanifolia*Jacobaea adonidifolia Loisel.*Jacobaea alpina...
- JesseaJesseaJessea is a genus of the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae. Most if not all of its members used to be Senecio.-Species:*Jessea cooperi H. Robinson et J. Cuatrecasas**Senecio cooperi Greenm....
- KleiniaKleiniaKleinia is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains the following species:It used to contain the following species:* Senecio articulatus Sch. Bip.**Kleinia articulata Haw....
- LachanodesLachanodesLachanodes is a genus of the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae....
- LamprocephalusLamprocephalusLamprocephalus is a genus of the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae....
- LasiocephalusLasiocephalusLasiocephalus is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- LepidospartumLepidospartumLepidospartum is a small genus of three species of flowering plant in the daisy family. They are known commonly as broomsages or scalebrooms. These are tall, woody shrubs with stiff twiggy branches that resemble brooms. They are native to the southwestern United States and far northern Mexico...
- LigulariaLigulariaLigularia, Leopard Plant, is a genus of "Old World" perennial plants or herbs resembling groundsel of the family Asteraceae. Ligularias are rather tall perennial herbaceous plants occurring mostly in damp places in Europe, Asia and Africa. Some of them are cultivated as ornamentals.-Some...
- LigulariopsisLigulariopsisLigulariopsis is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- LopholaenaLopholaenaLopholaena is a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae. About 20 species occur in Africa.-Selected species:* Lopholaena brevipes Phill. & C.A.Sm.* Lopholaena cneorifolia S. Moore...
- LuinaLuinaLuina, commonly called silverback, is a small genus of perennial shrubs in the sunflower family .The name of this genus is an anagram of the flower genus Inula.-Description:...
- MikaniopsisMikaniopsisMikaniopsis is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains the following species:* Mikaniopsis maitlandii* Mikaniopsis vitalba...
- MisbrookiaMisbrookiaMisbrookia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- NemosenecioNemosenecioNemosenecio is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- OligothrixOligothrixOligothrix is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- Oresbia
- OthonnaOthonnaOthonna is a genus of evergreen or deciduous geophytes, dwarf succulents or shrubs belonging to the sunflower family Asteraceae. The genus includes more than 100 species concentrated in the Western Cape of South Africa and southern Namibia. A few species occur in summer rainfall parts of southern...
- PackeraPackeraPackera is a genus of about 64 species of plants in the composite family, Asteraceae. Its members were previously included in the genus Senecio , but were divided out based on chromosome numbers, a variety of morphological characters, and molecular phylogeny.-Species:*Packera anonyma W.A. Weber & A...
- ParacaliaParacaliaParacalia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- ParasenecioParasenecioParasenecio is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- PericallisPericallisPericallis is a small genus of about 14 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to the Canary Islands and Madeira. The genus includes herbaceous plants and small subshrubs. In the past, the genus was often included in either Cineraria or Senecio.The Florist's Cineraria is a...
- Petasites
- PhaneroglossaPhaneroglossaPhaneroglossa is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- PittocaulonPittocaulonPittocaulon is a genus of the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae. Most if not all of its members used to be Senecio.The five species of this genus have been described as "strange shrubs and small trees with broomstick-like branches". All five species are native to the dry parts of...
- PladaroxylonPladaroxylonPladaroxylon is a genus of the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae....
- PojarkoviaPojarkoviaPojarkovia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- PsacaliumPsacaliumPsacalium is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- PseudogynoxysPseudogynoxysPseudogynoxys is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains the following species:* Pseudogynoxys benthamii Cabrera* Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides Cabrera** Senecio chenopodioides Kunth...
- RainieraRainieraRainiera is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- RoldanaRoldanaRoldana also known as groundsel is a genus of large herbs or subshrubs from the tribe Senecioneae and the family Asteraceae. Most if not all of its members used to be Senecio. There are approximately 50 species which are native to Southwest United States, Mexico and Central America and...
- RugeliaRugeliaRugelia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- SenecioSenecioSenecio is a genus of the daisy family that includes ragworts and groundsels. The flower heads are normally rayed, completely yellow, and the heads are borne in branched clusters...
- SinacaliaSinacaliaSinacalia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- SinosenecioSinosenecioSinosenecio is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- SolanecioSolanecioSolanecio is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- SteirodiscusSteirodiscusSteirodiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- StilpnogyneStilpnogyneStilpnogyne is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family...
- SyneilesisSyneilesisSyneilesis is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- SynotisSynotisSynotis is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- TalamancaliaTalamancaliaTalamancalia is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains the following species:* Talamancalia fosbergii* Talamancalia putcalensis...
- TephroserisTephroserisTephroseris is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It comprises a number of species of groundsels native to the northwestern region of North America, and Europe...
- TetradymiaTetradymiaTetradymia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae.The ten species are all shrubs native to western North America....
- TraversiaTraversiaTraversia is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- TussilagoTussilagoTussilago is a genus of plants. T. farfara is the coltsfoot. Many of the species are often placed in other genera, such as Homogyne, Petasites or Adenostyles....
- WerneriaWerneria (plant)Werneria is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae....
- XenophyllumXenophyllumXenophyllum is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family.It contains the following species:* Xenophyllum acerosum* Xenophyllum rigidum* Xenophyllum roseum...
- Yermo