Senecio purpureus L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Mt Rukotso, Nyanga

Photo: Bart Wursten
Engwa, rd to Tsetsera, Himalayas

Photo: Bart Wursten
Main Road North of Troutbeck near Cheshire Cottage

Photo: Bart Wursten
Upper Vanduzi Valley, Mt Gorongosa

Photo: Bart Wursten
BR

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:	Local
Status:	Native
Description:	Sticky glandular, erect perennial herb growing from a woody base. Stems numerous, 60–240 cm high, pale green, glandular-hairy. Basal leaves sessile, oblong-elliptic or lyrate, 35–73 cm long, tapering into a pseudo petiole: margins pinnately lobed; upper leaves sessile, lanceolate to broadly elliptic in outline, 5.5–17 cm, auriculate at the base; margin with more or less lobe-like teeth; all leaves with short glandular and more or less densely covered with felt-like hairs, especially beneath. Capitula numerous in terminal and upper axillary corymbose heads; stalks of the individual capitula densely glandular. Involucres 7–9 mm long, 3–3.5 mm in diameter; phyllaries 10–13, green with purplish tips or all purple, 7–8.5 mm long, shortly glandular-hairy. Disc florets purple or mauve, rarely blue or white, corolla 5–7.2 mm long, hairless; ray florets absent. Achenes 3.5–5 mm long when young, hairless; pappus 5–7 mm long.
Type location:	not known
Notes:	The bright purple florets and the absence of ray-florets mean that this species is easily mistaken for a Vernonieae species.
Derivation of specific name:	purpureus: purple
Habitat:	In moist or boggy (sub)montane grassland.
Altitude range: (metres)	1050 - 2100 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, DR Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
FZ divisions:	T,MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Tuesday 21 July 2009
Literature:	Beentje, H.J. & Ghazanfar, S.A. (eds.) (2005). Compositae (Part 3) Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 668 - 669. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 51. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 34. Hind, D.J.N., Beentje, H.J. & Loeuille, B.F.P. (2026). Compositae - Senecioneae Flora Zambesiaca 6(4) Pages 52 - 53. Jeffrey, C. (1986). The Senecioneae in East Tropical Africa: Notes on Compositae: IV Kew Bulletin 41(4) Page 904. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 28. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 33.

Other sources of information about Senecio purpureus:

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Flora of the DRC: Senecio purpureus
Flora of Malawi: Senecio purpureus
Flora of Zambia: Senecio purpureus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Senecio purpureus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Senecio purpureus
African Plant Database: Senecio purpureus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Senecio purpureus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Senecio purpureus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Senecio purpureus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Senecio purpureus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Senecio purpureus
JSTOR Plant Science: Senecio purpureus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Senecio purpureus
Plants of the World Online: Senecio purpureus
Tropicos: Senecio purpureus
Wikipedia: Senecio purpureus