Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
Senecio phelleus
Common name
Rock fireweed
Family
Asteraceae
Where found
Forest, woodland, and heath, often on rocky sites. Western Slopes, Kosciuszko National Park, the mountains to the north, ACT, and tablelands. Western edge of the ranges north from the Blue Mountains.
Notes
Perennial herb to 1.5 m high. Stems sparsely to moderately appressed cottony hairy, reducing in density up the stems, becoming almost hairless at the top. Leaves alternating up the stems, upper surface coarse-hairy or more or less hairless; lower surface commonly purple, usually somewhat cobwebby. Midstem leaves 3-17 cm long, to 25 mm wide, entire or coarsely toothed to lobed with 1–3 projections per side; bases narrowing gradually, or with pointed lobes. Upper leaves very narrow. Flower heads 6-7.5 mm long, narrowly cylindrical, with 26-45 florets, 0 petals, surrounded by 12–14 appressed bracts. Flower heads typically in 20–100 flowered clusters. Flowers mostly spring-autumn.
All native plants on unleased land in the ACT are protected.
VICFLORA description: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/70495779-594d-4205-ab57-d054d539ab40 (accessed 29 January 2021)
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