Senecio lyonii
Island senecio
(c) Melanie J. Davis, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Senecio lyonii (Island senecio) is a native California subshrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by shrubby form, finely divided feathery leaves, Channel Islands habitat.
Island senecio is a California native shrub found in the southern Channel Islands on ocean bluffs and open hillsides at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces yellow ray flowers 8 to 10 millimeters long surrounded by disk flowers in heads with distinctive black-tipped phyllaries. Growing 40 to 150 centimeters tall with several stems emerging from a woody taproot, it develops a sparse cobwebby or glabrous appearance. Its leaves are sessile or short-petioled, 4 to 10 centimeters long, pinnately divided with narrow linear lobes about 1 to 2 millimeters wide. The fruit is densely hairy and 2.5 to 3 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; key features are shrubby form, finely divided feathery leaves, Channel Islands habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Ocean bluffs, open hillsides
Elevation: < 500 m
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Senecio lyonii blooms Feb-May.
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 lyonii native to California?
Yes. Senecio lyonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Senecio lyonii bloom?
Senecio lyonii blooms Feb-May.
What plant family does Senecio lyonii belong to?
Senecio lyonii is in the Asteraceae family, genus Senecio.
What habitat does Senecio lyonii grow in?
Senecio lyonii grows in Ocean bluffs, open hillsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
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.