SENECIO.

Waikato Argus, Volume XV, Issue 6035, 4 August 1903, Page 2

SENECIO.

Tub: following ia the treatise referred to us having beeu read by Cr Lamey at the last meeting of the Ptako County Council r SknkoiO—(' Tourneforr, 1 French Rota niat, 17u0. Senecio, a plant, groundsel, so called iu allusion to the receptacle, which is naked, and resemble* a bald head. This has been esteemed the largest genus of flowering plants, containing at least 960 clearly distinct species (in eluding Cacalia, with ' Duraud ' 1888). The geuus is of almost universal distribution, but the range of individual Bpecies is remarkably limited ; probably about two-thirds of the species belong to the Old World, and of these half to South Africa, aud over a fourth to Europe and the Mediterranean region. About 66 species *re found in the United S'ates, including die nine species of Cacalia. Many of the Andean species erow close to the snow- ine, and have leaves quite glossy and glutinous above, and clothed with warm wool beneath ; some gummy-leaved apeoies have been used for firewood by the Boliviaus under the name Tola. In St. Helena and New Zealand a number of species become small trees, notably the cabbape tree and puka-pu«u, etc. Ragwort, or ragwert, the name of several plants of the genu? Senecio, primarily Senecio Jacobea, of Europe and Northern Asia, called also benweed, canker weed, St. James's wort, Ktidlcdock, Jacobea, etc., and in Irelaud, Fairie's horses, ragweed, etc. African ragwort, [Othomia) golden ragwort, a North American plant, c tiled also squaw weed and lite root. The Senecio Elegants Jacobea, purple ragwort, sou ragwort, or dimiy miller, woolly ragwort, Sen-pin Tormcntoms, etc.