Flora of Israel | Senecio vernalis

Senecio vernalis, Senecio leucanthemifolius, Eastern groundsel, Spring Groundsel,

Hebrew: סביון אביבי, Arabic: بيسوم

Scientific name:   Senecio vernalis Waldst. et Kit.
Synonym name:   Senecio leucanthemifolius Poir.
Common name:   Spring Groundsel, Eastern groundsel
Hebrew name:   סביון אביבי
Arabic name:   بيسوم
Family:   Compositae / Asteraceae, מורכבים


Life form:   Therophyte, annual
Stems:   15-30 cm, upright, with erect standing branches; young plants covered in tangled hairs (arachnoid)
Leaves:   Alternate, dissected once, dentate or serrate
Flowers:   Yellow
Fruits / pods:   Achenes; rod-like, lengthwise ribbed, yellow to light brown, with silver-white hair and a white pappus
Flowering Period:   January, February, March, April, May, November, December
Habitat:   Batha, Phrygana, Disturbed habitats
Distribution:   Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Montane vegetation of Mt. Hermon
Chorotype:   Med – Irano-Turanian
Summer shedding:   Ephemeral


Derivation of the botanical name:

Senecio, from senex, old man, referring to the gray hairs on the seeds.

vernalis, of or belonging to spring.
leucanthemifolius, leucos, λευκοϛ, bright, brilliant, clear, white, pale; anthem, ανϑεμον,flower; white flowered. With leaves like Leucanthemum.
The Hebrew name: סביון, savion, from סב, sav (=old man); loan translation of the scientific name Senecio, from latin senecio, (=groundsel), from senex (=old man).

  • The standard author abbreviation Waldst. is used to indicate Franz de Paula Adam von Waldstein (175– 1823) , an Austrian soldier, explorer and naturalist.
  • The standard author abbreviation Kit is used to indicate Pál Kitaibel (1757 – 1817),a Hungarian botanist and chemist.
  • The standard author abbreviation Poir. is used to indicate Jean Louis Marie Poiret (1755 – 1834), a French clergyman, botanist and explorer.