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The fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis) belongs to Asteraceae (the Aster family). It is an annual herb that is native to Madagascar and South Africa. It has now spread to North America and Oceania, and was first found in Japan in 1976 in Seto-cho, Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture. Today, it is naturalized from Chubu region of Honshu west to Kyushu. This herb is about 50 to 100 cm high and blooms yellow flowers from April to October. It will bloom even in winter if the conditions permit. It contains alkaloids and is toxic, and it seems that it is difficult to eradicate it in pastures. It is also called "Kobe-giku" in Japan.
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