Senecio is a genus of the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously circumscribed, the genus Senecio is one of the largest genera of flowering plants, cleaved or not of species belonging to other genera. The ‘traditional’ circumscription of Senecio is artificial, being polyphyletic.
The flower heads are normally rayed, completely yellow, and the heads are borne in branched clusters. Senecio is one of the largest genera of flowering plants and despite the separation of many species into other genera it still contains circa. 1250 species of varied form, including leaf, stem and tuber succulents, annuals, perennials, aquatics, climbers, shrubs and small trees. Some species produce natural biocides (especially alkaloids) to deter or even kill animals that would eat them.
