Common Name: SUNFLOWER FAMILY
Habit: Annual to tree. Leaf: basal and/or cauline, alternate, opposite, rarely whorled, simple to 2+ × compound. Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, resembling a flower, of several types (see below), 1--many in generally +- cyme-like cluster; each head generally with +- calyx-like involucre of 1--many series of phyllaries (involucre bracts); receptacle of head flat to conic or columnar, paleate (bearing paleae = receptacle bracts) or epaleate; flowers 1--many per head. Flower: bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, +- small, of several types (see below); calyx 0 or modified into +- persistent pappus of bristles, scales, and/or awns; corolla radial or bilateral (0), lobes generally (0)3--5; stamens 4--5, filaments generally free, generally fused to corolla at tube/throat junction, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, anther base generally rounded or cordate (deeply sagittate or with tail-like appendages), tip (= flattened appendage) generally projecting beyond pollen sac; pistil 1, 2-carpeled, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, placenta basal, style 1, tip generally +- 2-branched (except in some staminate disk flowers), branch tips truncate or generally bearing +- brush-like appendages; stigmas 2, generally on adaxial faces of style branches. Fruit: achene (also called a cypsela) (drupe in Chrysanthemoides), cylindric to ovoid, sometimes compressed, generally deciduous with pappus attached.
Genera In Family: +- 1500 genera, 23000 species: worldwide, many habitats. Note: Flower and head types differ in form and sexual condition. A disk flower has a generally radial corolla, with a cylindric tube, expanded throat, and generally 5 lobes. Disk flowers are generally bisexual and fertile but occasionally staminate with reduced ovaries. Discoid heads comprise only disk flowers. A radiant head is a variant of a discoid head, with peripheral disk flower corollas expanded, often bilateral. A ray flower corolla is bilateral, generally with a slender tube and flattened petal-like ray (single lip composed of generally 3 lobes). Ray flowers are generally pistillate or sterile (occasionally lacking styles). Radiate heads have peripheral ray flowers and central disk flowers. Disciform heads superficially resemble discoid heads, with pistillate or sterile flowers that lack rays, together with or separate from disk flowers. A ligulate flower is bisexual, with a bilateral, generally ephemeral corolla and 5-lobed ligule. Liguliflorous heads comprise only ligulate flowers. See glossary p. 31 for illustrations of family characteristics. Echinops sphaerocephalus L., Gaillardia aristata Pursh, Gaillardia pulchella Foug., Hymenothrix loomisii S.F. Blake, Tagetes erecta L., Thelesperma megapotamicum (Spreng.) Kuntze are waifs. Melampodium perfoliatum Kunth, historic urban waif. Ageratum conyzoides L., Guizotia abyssinica (L. f.) Cass., Santolina chamaecyparisus L., orth. var. are rare or uncommon escapes from cultivation. Dyssodia papposa, Ismelia carinata (Schousb.) Sch. Bip. [Chrysanthemum carinatum Schousb.], Mantisalca salmantica (L.) Briq. & Cavill. are historical or extirpated waifs in California. Inula helenium L. not documented in California. Taxa of Aster in TJM (1993) treated here in Almutaster, Doellingeria, Eurybia, Ionactis, Oreostemma, Sericocarpus, Symphyotrichum; Chamomilla in Matricaria; Bahia in Hymenothrix; Cnicus in Centaurea; Conyza in Erigeron and Laennecia; Dugaldia in Hymenoxys; Erechtites in Senecio; Hymenoclea in Ambrosia; Lembertia in Monolopia; Osteospermum ecklonis in Dimorphotheca; Picris echioides in Helminthotheca; Prionopsis in Grindelia; Raillardiopsis in Anisocarpus and Carlquistia; Schkuhria multiflora in Picradeniopsis; Trimorpha in Erigeron; Venidium in Arctotis; Viguiera in Aldama and Bahiopsis; Whitneya in Arnica. Amauriopsis in TJM2 (2012) treated here in Hymenothrix; Arida in Leucosyris; Bahia in Picradeniopsis; Eucephalus in Doellingeria.
Unabridged Note: Largest family of vascular plants in California and of eudicots globally.
eFlora Treatment Author: David J. Keil, except as noted
Scientific Editor: David J. Keil, Bruce G. Baldwin.

Common Name: RAGWORT, GROUNDSEL, BUTTERWEED
Habit: Annual to shrub, from taproot, rhizome, or button-like caudex. Stem: 1--many, simple or branched. Leaf: alternate; mostly basal to evenly distributed; proximal generally +- petioled; middle generally reduced, sessile, often clasping. Inflorescence: heads radiate, disciform, or discoid, generally in cyme-like clusters; involucre cylindric to urn- or bell-shaped, main phyllaries generally 8, 13, or 21 in 1 series, subtended by few to many, generally much-reduced outer phyllaries, reflexed in fruit, green, often black-tipped, linear to narrowly lanceolate, glabrous or hairy; receptacle epaleate. Ray Flower: 0--21; ray generally yellow (white, pink-purple), occasionally much-reduced and scarcely exceeding phyllaries. Disk Flower: 3--100+; corolla tubular to bell-shaped, lobes erect to recurved, pale to deep yellow; anther tip +- triangular-ovate; style branch tips obtuse or truncate. Fruit: cylindric, generally shallow-ribbed or -angled, glabrous or stiff-hairy; pappus of minutely barbed bristles, white to tan.
Etymology: (Latin: old man, from white pappus) Note: Many North American species formerly treated as Senecio now in Packera. The common names groundsel, ragwort, and butterweed apply to species of both genera. Neither Pericallis hybrida B. Nord. [Senecio hybridus Regel, illeg.] nor Senecio squalidus L. naturalized in California; Senecio hieraciifolius L. var. hieraciifolius [Erechtites hieraciifolia (L.) DC. var. hieraciifolia (orth. var.)] not documented in California.
eFlora Treatment Author: Debra K. Trock
Reference: Barkley 2006 FNANM 20:544--570

Habit: Biennial or perennial herb (1)2--7 dm, from button-like caudex; roots fleshy-fibrous. Stem: 1, +- cobwebby, tomentose, or long-soft-wavy hairy, sometimes +- glabrous in age. Leaf: basal and proximal cauline +- petioled, 6--25 cm, 1--6 cm wide, elliptic to lanceolate or oblanceolate, occasionally rounded-deltate or +- round, tapered to truncate or cordate, entire to +- dentate, mid-cauline sessile, distal reduced, bract-like. Inflorescence: heads generally radiate, (3)6--15(40+) in +- flat-topped clusters; involucre +- urn-shaped, phyllaries 13 or 21, (4)5--12 mm, linear or lanceolate, green- or black-tipped; outer phyllaries few, <= 2/3 inner. Ray Flower: (0) generally 5, 8 or 13; ray 5--15(20) mm, yellow or white. Disk Flower: 35--45. Fruit: 2.5--3 mm, generally glabrous (hairy on ribs). Chromosomes: 2n=40,80 (in California).