Senecio astephanus
San gabriel ragwort, San Gabriel Ragwort
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Senecio astephanus (San gabriel ragwort) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by tall stature, no rays, and steep rocky chaparral habitat.
San gabriel ragwort is a California native perennial ranked 4.3 by CNPS, found in southern coastal ranges and transverse ranges in steep rocky slopes of chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and oak woodland at elevations of 400 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces yellow disk flowers in dense clusters 10 to 20 millimeters wide, with green involucral bracts. Growing with erect stems 30 to 100 centimeters tall that are unevenly woolly and becoming nearly smooth, it develops from an unbranched woody base. Its leaves are distinctive, with basal leaves 10 to 25 centimeters long and 3 to 7 centimeters wide, elliptic-ovate to lanceolate, with toothed edges and tapering to a petiole. The fruit is small, smooth, and approximately 2 to 2.5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 14 sympatric species; key features are tall stature, no rays, and steep rocky chaparral habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Steep rocky slopes in chaparral/coastal-sage scrub and oak woodland
Elevation: 400-1500 m
Bloom period
Senecio astephanus blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
How to tell it apart
vs Packera: Senecio has larger leaves (over 2.5 inches) and often black-tipped bracts; Packera has tiny leaves (under 1.5 inches) with green or reddish tips.; vs Sonchus: Senecio has yellow daisy flowers with a neat single row of bracts; Sonchus has dandelion-like flowers and milky sap when broken.; vs Dudleya: Senecio is in the sunflower family with daisy flowers; Dudleya is a succulent with thick fleshy leaves and star-shaped flowers.; vs Ericameria: Senecio has one main row of equal bracts around flower heads; Ericameria has 2-4 overlapping rows of unequal bracts.; vs Taraxacum: Senecio has branching stems with multiple flower heads; Taraxacum has leafless hollow stems with single dandelion-like heads.
Frequently asked questions
Is Senecio astephanus native to California?
Yes. Senecio astephanus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Senecio astephanus bloom?
Senecio astephanus blooms Apr-Jun.
What plant family does Senecio astephanus belong to?
Senecio astephanus is in the Asteraceae family, genus Senecio.
Is Senecio astephanus rare or endangered?
Senecio astephanus carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
What habitat does Senecio astephanus grow in?
Senecio astephanus grows in Steep rocky slopes in chaparral/coastal-sage scrub and oak woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.