Senecio spartioides [Broom Ragwort]

[Andrea B.]

Blum, A.G. (2021) Senecio spartioides Torr. & A.Gray (Asteraceae) [broom Ragwort] Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light. https://www.ultravio...-broom-ragwort/

 

Synonyms:

• Senecio incurvus
  

Other Common Names:

• Broom Groundsel
  
• Broom-like Groundsel
  
• Broom-like Ragwort
  

.

Comment:

The sparsely rayed (usually only 5) S. spartioides blooms quite late into the fall. Twice now I have found blooming plants in October (Santa Fe County) when other plants have already begun to be nipped by light frosts and not much else is blooming aside from Rabbitbrush and Hoary Aster.

 

Senecio are too variable for me to attempt subspecies identification.

 

Like other Senecio, the disc florets, fused anthers, pollen and stigmas are entirely UV-black. The rays exhibit some interesting visible green and UV-dark veining, most prominently on the abaxial side.

 

References:

1. Allred, Kelly W., Jercinovic, Eugene M., Ivey, Robert DeWitt (2021) Flora Neomexicana III: An Illustrated Identification Manual, Second Edition, Part 2, Senecio Key, page nnn. Print on demand at lulu.com.

2. SEINet Arizona-New Mexico Chapter (acc 06 Mar 2021) Senecio spartioides.

This is a southwestern biodiversity organization making use of the Symbiota portal software.

2. Southwest Colorado Wildflowers (acc 06 Mar 2021) Senecio spartioides.

Website published and maintained by Al Schneider and hosted by Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory.

4. Wildflowers of New Mexico (acc 06 Mar 2021) Senecio sparticoides [sic].

Website published and maintained by George Oxford Miller.

 

 

 

SET 1

El Dorado at Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

24 Oct 2019

Wildflower

 

Equipment [Nikon D610-broadband + Nikon 105mm f/4.5 UV-Nikkor]

 

Visible Light [f/8 for 1/100" @ ISO-800 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

This particular flower had an anomalous 6th ray which is curled backwards.

 

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/8 for 5" @ ISO-800 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

There are some faint UV-dark veins on the top side of the rays which do not show well here due to lack of depth of field.

Please see SET 2 below for a better example.

A long exposures was used to enable two flashes.

 

 

Visible Light [f/16 for 1/20" @ ISO-800 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

Some of the filiform leaves are slightly grooved.

 

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/40" @ ISO-800 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

Note the green abaxial veins on each ray.

The black-tipped phyllaries are a characteristic more of the Senecios than of their cousins the Packeras.

 

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 5" @ ISO-800 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

Abaxially, the ray veining is very UV-dark. The involucre is quite iridescent in UV.

 

 

 

SET 2

La Secuela, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

06 Oct 2020

Wildflower

 

 

Equipment [Nikon D610-broadband + some UV-capable lens]

I forgot to make a note of the lens I used!

It was most likely the Zeiss UV-Planar 60/4.5.

 

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/1.3" @ ISO-200 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

Looks a bit windmill like, doesn't it? There is some veining on the rays.

 

 

Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 10" @ ISO-200 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

The top-side veining, mildly UV-dark, is more noticible in this photo.

The long exposure permits multiple UV flashes for better illumination of the flower.

 

 

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/1.3" @ ISO-200 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

Another view of the involucre.

 

Visible Light [f/16 for 1/250" @ ISO-200 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]

The stems were sticking out in all directions so it was difficult to get the depth of field to show all the flowers.

This is why stacking apps were created. Oh well.

[Stefano]

It looks so odd, like it is missing petals (rays).

[colinbm]

Nice flowers, thanks for showing Andrea

[Andrea B.]

Stefano, yes it is a funny little flower with only 5 0r 6 rays.

 

Thanks, Col.