Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 863 (1753).

Derivation: A name used by Theophrastus for Senecio vulgaris, apparently from the Greek er, spring; and geron, an old man; referring to the hoary appearance of some species growing in spring.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Fleabanes.

Description:
Annual or perennial herbs, rosette-forming or with spreading wiry branches; leaves alternate, radical and cauline, usually dentate.

Capitula terminal, pedunculate, solitary or in loose corymbs or panicles, radiate, heterogamous; involucres hemispherical to campanulate, becoming reflexed in fruit; bracts subequal, herbaceous with scarious margins, imbricate in 2-4-series; receptacle naked, pitted, flat to convex; ray florets female, 2-seriate; ligules often prominent, white to purple; disk florets bisexual, yellow; anthers obtuse at the base, with a short acute appendage at the apex; style branches with triangular papillose terminal appendages.

Achenes flattened, pubescent; pappus of bristles.

Distribution:  About 200 species, cosmopolitan but mainly native to North America; about 6 species in Australia.

Biology: No text

Key to Species:

1. Receptacle 2-3 mm diam.; peduncles and leaves sparsely pubescent with appressed microscopic hairs	E. karvinskianus 1.
1. Receptacle 5-9 mm diam.; peduncles and leaves densely pilose with microscopic hairs	E. sessilifolius 2.

Author: Not yet available