Search / Plant Profile / Senecio multidentatus var. huachucanus

Plant Profile

Huachuca Groundsel (Senecio multidentatus var. huachucanus)

The Huachuca groundsel produces small yellow flowers at the tips of the plants upper branches. Photo Credit: Janette Milne

Global Rank: T2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Asteraceae
State: AZ, MX, SI
Nature Serve ID: 154600
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 06/18/1986

Description:

This species has a disjunct distribution, occurring on a mountain in Chihuahua, Mexico, and in two mountain ranges in Arizona. (Toolin 1982) Senecio huachucanus is a perennial herb with a single stem that branches from the middle and grows up to 32 inches (80 cm) tall. Lower leaves are lance-shaped, while upper leaves have toothed margins. Small yellow flowers are produced during the months of September and October, and are borne in heads of several clusters at the tips of branches. (Barkley 1978; Toolin 1982)

Where is Huachuca Groundsel (Senecio multidentatus var. huachucanus) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Grows in moist, loamy soils on shady, west-north-facing slopes in ponderosa pine forests at elevations of 7000 to 9500 ft. (2286 to 2590 meters). (Toolin 1982)Dominant associates include Pinus ponderosa, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Quercus hypoleucoides, and Q. reticulata. This species is also associated with the rare Lilium parryi. (Toolin 1982)

Distribution:

Fraile Mountain, Chihuahua, MexicoSanta Rita and Huachuca Mountains, Arizona(Toolin 1982)

States & Provinces:

Huachuca Groundsel can be found in Arizona, Mexico, Sonora

Which CPC Partners conserve Huachuca Groundsel (Senecio multidentatus var. huachucanus)?

The Arboretum at Flagstaff

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Occurs mainly in southeastern Arizona in the Huachuca Mountains and the Santa Rita Mountains and Sonora, Mexico. Few recent collections but data for the last 20 years suggest there about 30 sites.

Joyce Maschinski, Ph.D.

01/01/2010

Because this species is more widespread than once thought, threats are relatively small.

Joyce Maschinski, Ph.D.

01/01/2010

The one known Santa Rita population likely contains thousands of plants on many acres on remote wilderness land. (USFWS 1996) Surveys since 1991 have discovered numerous new populations at sites in the Huachuca Mountains, Sierra Azula, and Santa Rita Mountains. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service states that this species is more widespread than it was thought to be when it was listed for federal candidate status, and removed it from candidate status in 1996. (USFWS 1996; Gries 1992)

Joyce Maschinski, Ph.D.

01/01/2010

None known.

Joyce Maschinski, Ph.D.

01/01/2010

None known.