川西蟹甲草 chuan xi xie jia cao

Senecio souliei Franchet, Bull. Annuel Soc. Philom. Paris, sér. 8, 3: 165. 1891; Cacalia souliei (Franchet) Handel-Mazzetti; Koyamacalia souliei (Franchet) H. Robinson & Brettell.

Rhizomes 1.3-1.4 cm in diam., with numerous tomentose fibrous roots. Stem solitary, erect, often purple-red, striate, (20-)30-60 cm tall, long naked in lower part, glabrous. Leaves usually at middle and lower part of stem; petiole expanded at base, with incised or divided auricle, subamplexicaul; blade reniform-triangular or broadly ovate, 5-6 × 4-5 cm, 3-5-lobed; lobes spreading, lobulate or irregularly toothed, abaxially white arachnoid-tomentose, adaxially densely brown hispidulous, 3-veined, veins abaxially prominent, base truncate or slightly cordate, decurrent into broadly winged petiole, apex acute or slightly acute. Upper leaves smaller, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, incised or lobulate at base. Capitula numerous, terminal or in upper leaf axils, arranged in lax racemose panicles, spreading, pendulous later; peduncles 2-5 mm, densely shortly pubescent, with 1-3 linear bractlets. Involucres cylindric or narrowly campanulate, ca. 7 × 3-4 mm; phyllaries 5, oblong-lanceolate, 1.5-2 mm, glabrous, margin narrowly scarious, apically obtuse or slightly acute, puberulent. Florets 8, rarely 10; corolla yellow, 6-7 mm, with slender, ca. 2 mm tube and narrowly campanulate limb; lobes lanceolate, ca. 1.5 mm. Anthers exserted from corolla, basally caudate. Style branches truncate, papillose. Achenes cylindric, ca. 3 mm, glabrous, ribbed. Pappus white, 5-6 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sep.

● Understories of forests or thickets, grasslands, shaded and wet slopes; 3100-3700 m. SW and W Sichuan.