|
The Common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) belongs to Asteraceae (the Aster family). It is a biennial herb that is native to northern Eurasia, and has also been widely distributed as a weed elsewhere. This herb grows in dry, open places, and up to a height of 30-200 cm. The stems are erect, straight, have no or few hairs. The leaves are pinnately lobed and the end lobe is blunt. The yellow flower-heads bloom in dense, flat-topped clusters from June to November. Common ragwort contains many different alkaloids, making it poisonous to certain animals. The Japanese name comes from "common groundsel" which blooms around the "St. Jacob festival" (July 25).
|