Lambstongue Ragwort

Scientific Name: Senecio integerrimus Nutt.

Lambstongue Ragwort

General Information
Usda Symbol	SEIN2
Group	Dicot
Life Cycle	BiennialPerennial,
Growth Habits	Forb/herb
Native Locations	SEIN2

Plant Guide

Alternate Names

Gauge plant, one-stemmed butterweed, single-stemmed groundsel, western groundsel, wet-the-bed Columbia ragwort=S. integerrimus var. exaltatus Pale yellow ragwort=S. integerrimus var. ochroleucus Scribner’s ragwort=S. integerrimus var. scribneri

Uses

Wildlife: Lambstongue ragwort attracts a variety of pollinators including bumblebees, butterflies and flies (Schmitt, 1980). Livestock: CAUTION Lambstongue ragwort and other members of the genus have been found to contain toxic alkaloids (Tilley and St. John 2011), and presents a risk to livestock (Clawson, 1933; Talcott, 2003). Other: Lambstongue ragwort was used by settlers and ranchers to determine range “readiness”. When it was in flower, the range was believed to be sufficiently developed for grazing to begin, hence the common name “gauge plant” (Welsh and others, 2003). In western folklore it was blamed for causing bedwetting (Welsh and others, 2003).

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g., threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Description

General: Lambstongue ragwort is a perennial forb in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). It has a short semi-rhizomatous caudex giving rise to 1 or more upright stems growing 10 to 60 cm (4 to 24 in) tall. The basal and lower stem leaves are petiolate, 3 to 20 cm (1 to 8 in) long and 1 to 4 cm (0.4 to 1.6 in) wide. The leaves are lanceolate to oblong in outline. The margins are typically entire, but sometimes serrate or dentate. The upper stem leaves are smaller. The herbage is covered with cobwebby hairs when young. The stems and leaves become more glabrous as the plant matures. The inflorescence is a compact to loose cyme. The flower heads have ray and disk flowers. The ray flowers have yellow petals, 4 to 15 mm (0.2 to 0.6 in) long. The bracts surrounding the floral head have black tips. The fruit is an achene with a white pappus (Welsh and others, 2003). There are approximately 400,000 seeds/lb (USDA-NRCS, 2012). Five varieties of lambstongue ragwort are currently recognized. Barkley (1997) provides a taxonomic key to varieties. Distribution: screen, blank middle, and solid bottom screen. The air is Lambstongue ragwort occurs throughout western North set at approximately 1.5 to pick up the removed pappus, America from British Columbia east to Manitoba and unfilled achenes and light inert matter. These methods south to New Mexico and California. For current yield high purities (90-100%). Seed is stored in cool-dry distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this conditions with temperatures of approximately 10° C (50° species on the PLANTS Web site. F) and relative humidity of 20 to 30%. Habitat: Lambstongue ragwort occurs in low lying desert Plant Production: shrub communities to alpine plant communities from Lambstongue ragwort seed exhibits physiological 5,000 to 11,000 ft. It is commonly found in grassy dormancy. Extensive cold moist stratification is required meadows, sagebrush, mountain brush, ponderosa pine, for germination (Baskin and Baskin, 2002; Skinner 2009). aspen and fir communities. Seed is sown into conetainers in late fall and early winter and placed outdoors for natural stratification. Germination Adaptation begins in March and may span two to four weeks. Soil This species is adapted to fine to coarse textured soils moisture should be maintained. Water soluble fertilizer is with a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 (USDA-NRCS, 2012). It is most applied once per week. In Washington, the plants are commonly found in habitats receiving 30 to 64 cm (12 to stored in a lath house during winter and are protected 25 in) of annual precipitation. from extreme cold temperatures with mulch. The plants are then transplanted the following spring. Flowering and Establishment seed production occurs 1 to 2 years after outplanting The full stand seeding rate, based on 50 pure live seeds (Skinner, 2009). Pure Live Seed (PLS) per foot at 12 inch spacing, is 5 lbs PLS/acre. When planted in a mixture, the seeding rate Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area should be adjusted according to the proportion of the mix. of origin) There are currently no commercial releases of Management lambstongue ragwort. Management strategies should be based on the key species in the established plant community. Grazing

References

should be deferred on seeded lands for at least two Barkley, T.M. 1997. Senecio. In: Flora of North America growing seasons to allow for full stand establishment. Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico. New York and Oxford. Blaisdell and Mueggler (1956) reported light mortality of Vol. 21. 616p. lambstongue ragwort from spraying 2,4-D in sagebrush Baskin, Carol C.; Baskin, Jerry M. 2002.

Propagation

rangelands. protocol for production of container Senecio integerrimus Nutt. plants; University of Kentucky, Pests and Potential Problems Lexington, Kentucky. In: Native Plant Network. There are no known pests associated with this species. URL: http://www.nativeplantnetwork.org (accessed 5 Lambstongue ragwort contains compounds toxic to cattle January 2012). Moscow (ID): University of Idaho, and other livestock, but will be avoided when other College of Natural Resources, Forest Research preferable forage is available. Nursery. Blaisdell, J.P., and W.F. Mueggler. 1956. Effect of 2,4-D Environmental Concerns on forbs and shrubs associated with big sagebrush. Lambstongue ragwort is toxic to cattle and livestock and Journal of Range Mangement. 9(1): 38-40. should not be planted in grazed areas. Clawson, A.B. 1933. The American groundsels species of Senecio as stock poisoning plants.

Veterinary

Seeds and Plant Production Medicine 28 (3): 105,110, Wildland collections can be made by hand stripping or Schmitt, J, 1980, Pollinator foraging behavior and gene shaking ripe seed into collection bags, Seed can be dispersal in Senecio (Compositae), Evolution 34: collected shortly before maturity by harvesting the entire 934-943, inflorescence and allowing the seed to continue ripening Skinner, David M, 2009, Propagation protocol for while drying, production of container Senecio integerrimus Nutt, exaltatus (Nutt,) Cronq, plants (10 cu, in,); USDA Mature seed can be removed from the floral heads using a NRCS - Pullman Plant Materials Center, Pullman, laboratory brush machine with a number 7 mantle at a Washington, In: Native Plant Network, URL: speed of 2, The gate is left approximately 1 cm open to http://www,nativeplantnetwork,org (accessed 5 allow the brushed seed to fall through to the catch pan January 2012), Moscow (ID): University of Idaho, below, The brushes dislodge the seed from the heads and College of Natural Resources, Forest Research remove the pappus, The brushed material is then cleaned Nursery, using a multi-deck air screen cleaner with a 1,55 mm top Talcott, P: 2003, Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Poisoning, In: Robinson NE (ed): Current Therapy in Eqine Medicine, 5th Edition, Philidelphia, W,B, Saunders Co, pp, 788-790, Tilley D, St, John L, 2011, Initial toxicity screening of groundsel (Senecio spp,); 2011 Progress Report, Aberdeen (ID): USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Aberdeen Plant Materials Center, 3 p, USDA-NRCS, 2009, The PLANTS Database [Online], Available at http://plants,usda, Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Lambstongue Ragwort.,gov (accessed 10 January 2012), USDA-NPDC, Baton Rouge, LA, Welsh, S,L,, Atwood, N,D,, Goodrich, S,, and L,C, Higgins, 2003, A Utah Flora, Third Edition, revised, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, Prepared By: Derek Tilley, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, ID Loren St, John, USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, ID Citation TIlley, D,, and L, St, John, 2012, Plant Guide for lambstongue ragwort (Senecio integerrimus), USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Aberdeen Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho 83210, Published Edited: 10Jan2012djt; 11Jan2012 ls; 13Jan2012 jab For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or

Plant Traits

Growth Requirements

Morphology/Physiology

Reproduction

Suitability/Use

Lambstongue Ragwort