Dendrosenecio elgonensis is one of the giant groundsel of East Africa; this one is endemic to Mount Elgon. They used to be considered part of the genus Senecio but recently have been reclassified to their own genus, Dendrosenecio.
Dendrosenecio elgonensis | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Dendrosenecio |
Species: | D. elgonensis |
Binomial name | |
Dendrosenecio elgonensis | |
Synonyms | |
Sources:[1] |
Dendrosenecio elgonensis can grow to 7 meters tall, with a trunk to 30 centimeters in diameter and pith 2.5 to 3 centimeters in diameter. D. elgonensis generally keeps its stem cloaked with its withered and decaying foliage (or with retained leaf-bases after fire) but eventually loses them as bark develops. "Periodic reproduction yields sparsely branched, spreading plants that rarely exceed five reproductive cycles."[2]
Leaf surfaces are elliptic or heart-shaped, 97 centimeters long and 32 centimeters wide. The lower portion of the leaves are hairless except for along the mid-vein.[2]
Flower heads are presented horizontally. 11 to 13, 24 millimeter long ray florets and 40 to 70 disc florets.[2]
Found on the slopes of Mount Elgon between 2750 and 4200 meters.[2]
The names for the giant groundsels have become somewhat confusing:
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(help)Taxon identifiers | |
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Dendrosenecio elgonensis |
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Senecio elgonensis |
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