Packera paupercula

This perennial wildflower consists of a small rosette of basal leaves spanning 2-4" across, from which there develops a single stalk of flowerheads about 6-14" tall. The basal leaves are 1½-3" long and ½-¾" across (at least twice as long as across); they are oblong-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate in shape and crenate-serrate along their margins. The teeth along the margins have blunt tips and they vary in size from large and coarse to small and fine. The upper and lower surfaces of the basal leaves are medium green and glabrous (or nearly so); young basal leaves are sometimes sparsely hairy or white-mealy. The petioles of the basal leaves are about one-half the length of the blades and relatively narrow; they are light green to pale purple and glabrous. The central stalk is light green to purple and glabrous (or nearly so); sometimes it has sparse cobwebby hairs toward the bottom. Along this stalk, there are 2-4 alternate leaves; they are up to 2½" long and ½" across, becoming smaller as they ascend the stalk. The alternate leaves are narrowly lanceolate-oblong, pinnatifid with cleft lobes, and/or coarsely dentate along their margins; they are sessile. The upper and lower surfaces of the alternate leaves are medium green and glabrous. The central stalk terminates in a flat-headed panicle of 5-30 flowerheads. Each daisy-like flowerhead spans about ½-¾" across, consisting of 40 or more disk florets and 8-13 ray florets (rarely none); the disk and ray florets are both perfect and fertile. The corollas of the disk florets are deep golden yellow, cylindrical in shape, and 5-lobed. The petaloid extensions of the ray florets are yellow and linear-oblong in shape. Around the base of each flowerhead, there are several phyllaries (floral bracts) in a single series; they are about ¼" long. These phyllaries are linear in shape, glabrous, and mostly light green, except toward their tips, where they become pale purple. The branches and peduncles of the inflorescence are light green to pale purple and glabrous; there are often tiny bractlets where they diverge. These bractlets are scale-like and purple. The blooming period occurs from mid-spring to early summer, lasting about 3 weeks. Afterwards, the florets are replaced by small achenes with sessile tufts of white hair. These achenes are 1-2 mm. long and bullet-shaped. The root system consists of a short crown of fibrous roots and occasional rhizomes or stolons. Occasionally, clonal colonies of plants are produced from the rhizomes or stolons.

The native Balsam Ragwort is occasional in the northern half of Illinois, becoming rare or absent in the southern half of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist sand prairies, prairie remnants along railroads, sedge meadows, streambanks, moist sandy savannas, open woodlands, and abandoned fields. Areas with low ground vegetation and some history of disturbance are preferred.

Senecio gaspensis var. gaspensis :
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Senecio gaspensis fo. gaspensis :
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Senecio gaspensis var. firmifolius (Greenm.) Fernald:
Canada (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Senecio crawfordii Britton:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Senecio pauperculus var. praelongus (Greenm.) House:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Senecio pauperculus var. neoscoticus Fernald:
Canada (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Senecio pauperculus var. balsamitae (Muhl. ex Willd.) Fernald:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Senecio pauperculus fo. pauperculus :
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Senecio pauperculus var. pauperculus :
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Senecio pauperculus Michx.:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Perennials, 20–45+ cm; subrhizomatous (bases weakly branched, ascending to erect). Stems 1 or 2–4, loosely clustered, glabrous or sparsely tomentose proximally. Basal leaves petiolate; blades lanceolate to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, 30–60+ × 10–20+ mm, bases tapering, sometimes obtuse, margins subentire to dentate or serrate. Cauline leaves gradually reduced (proximals petiolate, sublyrate; mids sessile, not clasping, lanceolate, dissected, incised, or lacerate; distals sessile, bractlike). Heads 2–10+ in loose or compact, corymbiform arrays. Peduncles usually bracteate, sometimes ebracteate, glabrous. Calyculi inconspicuous. Phyllaries 13 or 21, green, 5–8+ mm, glabrous. Ray florets 0, 8, or 13; corolla laminae (pale yellow) 5–10+ mm. Disc florets 50–65+; corolla tubes 2–3 mm, limbs 2–3 mm. Cypselae 1–2 mm, usually glabrous, sometimes hispidulous on ribs; pappi 3.5–4.5 mm. 2n = 44, 46, 92.

Senecio pauperculus Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 120. 1803; S. balsamitae Muhlenberg ex Willdenow; S. balsamitae var. firmifolius Greenman; S. balsamitae var. thomsoniensis Greenman; S. crawfordii Britton; S. flavovirens Rydberg; S. gaspensis Greenman; S. multnomensis Greenman; S. robbinsii Oakes ex Rusby var. subtomentosus Peck; S. tweedyi Rydberg

The native Balsam Ragwort is occasional in the northern half of Illinois, becoming rare or absent in the southern half of the state (see Distribution Map). Habitats include moist sand prairies, prairie remnants along railroads, sedge meadows, streambanks, moist sandy savannas, open woodlands, and abandoned fields. Areas with low ground vegetation and some history of disturbance are preferred.

The nectar and pollen of the flowerheads attract a variety of small to medium-sized insects, including cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), Halictid bees, Andrenid bees, Syrphid flies, small butterflies and skippers, and miscellaneous beetles. An Andrenid bee, Andrena gardineri, is a specialist pollinator (oligolege) of Senecio spp. (ragworts). Some insects feed on the foliage or seeds of ragworts. These species include caterpillars of the moth Agonopterix canadensis (Canadian Agonopterix) and the seed bug Neacoryphus bicrucis. The foliage of ragworts is toxic to most mammalian herbivores, causing liver damage.

Senecio pauperculus (Balsam Ragwort)
(information is very limited; this observation is from Krombein et al.)

Bees (short-tongued)
Andrenidae (Andreninae): Andrena gardineri cp olg

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 6
Specimens with Barcodes: 15
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Comments: Somewhat threatened by land-use conversion and habitat fragmentation (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002).

The preference is full or partial sun, moist conditions, and soil containing loam, sandy loam, or rocky material. Most growth and development occurs during the spring. The basal leaves persist throughout the warmer months into winter.