Common Name

Mallee Fireweed, Cotton Fireweed

Family

Asteraceae

Notes

Forb to 60cm tall. Leaves alternating up the stems, in the middle third of the stem 3-15cm long, flat to narrow and flat, upper surface slightly rough to hairless, lower surface hairy and purple, margins entire, toothed and/or lobed. Upper leaves narrow linear, the uppermost leaves with small basal lobes. Flowers green to purple with yellow florets, and 0 petals. Flower heads cylindrical, in groups of about 20-60 per stem at the tops of the stems. Poorly known Vic under its own name and as Senecio sp. aff. quadridentatus (North West).

Hybrids between Senecio dolichocephalus and Senecio quadridentatus have been recorded from the Eyre Peninsula, SA.

Key (pages 112-117), description (pages 167, 169) and photo of dried specimen (Fig. 31 page 168) in Thompson, I.R., (2004) Taxonomic studies of Australian Senecio (Asteraceae): 1. The disciform species. Muelleria 19: 101-214