Senecio elegans

While on a recent visit to the Bristol University Botanical Gardens I came across these in the greenhouse. My closest guess was that they had to be from the family Asteraceae also known as the Aster Family. I'm not sure if I'm getting better at identifying plants or if members of this family are so obvious. Luckily they had a little sign which proved me correct once I'd gotten back and looked Senecio elegans up.

Senecio elegans at the Bristol University Botanical Gardens

Senecio elegans is native to southern Africa. They also exist in purple, red, and pink. Unfortunately the only ones I saw were all yellow. However, I am sure I have probably come across some of the other colours. I will keep my eyes open so I can get some photos and do a post showing them all for comparative purposes.

Senecio elegans at the Bristol University Botanical Gardens

Senecio elegans at the Bristol University Botanical Gardens

Additional Information:

Scientific Name: Senecio elegans

Common names: wild cineraria, (English); name (French); name (German); name (Spanish);

Taxonomic hierarchy: 

Kingdom: Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae – Green plants

Infrakingdom: Streptophyta – Land plants

Division: Tracheophyta – Vascular plants

Subdivision: Spermatophytina – Spermatophytes (seed plants)

Infradivision: Angiospermae – Angiosperms (flowering plants)

Class: Magnoliopsida –

Superorder: Asteranae –

Order: Asterales –

Family: Asteraceae –

Genus: Senecio – 

Species: Senecio elegans –

Notes: 

• I am using the taxonomical classification system used by ITIS (Intergrated Taxonomic Information System). I have decided to use this system in order to avoid confusion as well as because it offers a comprehensive hierarchy from kingdom right through to subspecies whereas other sources only go as far as order or  provide the names of some of the higher taxonomical ranks but only indicate "unclassified" rather than providing the rank.
• When and where possible I will endeavour to include alternatives classifications although  I may limit this to occasions where an opportunity arises to discuss the reason for the different classifications.
• Taxonomical data used in this post was retrieved [June 15 2014], from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, http://www.itis.gov.

References:


On-line sources:

http://www.herbiguide.com.au/Descriptions/hg_Hollyleaved_Senecio.htm

http://www.exotic-plants.de/seeds/succulents/Senecio-elegans.php

• Royal Horticultural Society: Entry for Sencio elegans L.
• Official Website of the: Bristol University Botanical Gardens
• Missouri Botanical gardens: Entry for Sencio elegans L.
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database: Entry for  Sencio elegans L.
• Flora Database the Western Australian Flora: Entry for Sencio elegans L.
• PlantZAfrica.com: Entry for Sencio elegans L.
• Seedaholic: Entry for Sencio elegans L.
• Wikipedia: Entry for Asterids
• Wikipedia: Entry for Asterales
• Wikipedia: Entry for Asteraceae
• Wikipedia: Entry for Senecioneae
• Wikipedia: Entry for Senecio
• Wikipedia: Entry for Scenecio elegans

Flora and Fauna - Plants and Critters Blog by Vincent Albert Vermeulen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Based on a work at http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.be/.

Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.be/.

My other blogs

· Flora and Fauna - Plants and Critters (on plants, animals as well as gardening, conservation and environmental matters): http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.com/
· The Blood of Souls (language, translation and etymology) : http://thebloodofsouls.blogspot.com/
· Whiskers on Kittens (Life with Kittens and Cats in general) : http://whiskersonkittens-vincent.blogspot.com/

Antwerp Botanical Garden. Assorted flowers.

Here are some more photos of some of the plants that I came across in the Antwerp Botanical Garden. And yes there were quite a few bees buzzing about especially amongst the flowers of the Asteraceae family, such as this Echinacea.

These were in the garden area accessed through the other entrance which connects to what I consider the main area of the garden via a small passage through a dividing wall. Here they had a couple big signs posted but none of the plants were actually labelled. I was quite surprised to note how many varieties and species of Echinacea existed. 

 Later on while on my way back to the train station I got a wee bit lost and as always when that happens, serendipity struck and I came across a square with an astounding number of these. Don't worry THAT is for another post.

Notes: 

• I am using the taxonomical classification system used by ITIS (Intergrated Taxonomic Information System). I have decided to use this system in order to avoid confusion as well as because it offers a comprehensive hierarchy from kingdom right through to subspecies whereas other sources only go as far as order or  provide the names of some of the higher taxonomical ranks but only indicate "unclassified" rather than providing the rank.
• When and where possible I will endeavour to include alternatives classifications although  I may limit this to occasions where an opportunity arises to discuss the reason for the different classifications.
• Taxonomical data used in this post was retrieved [June 15 2014], from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System on-line database, http://www.itis.gov.

Location:
Leopoldstraat 24, B-2000 Antwerpen

How to Get There:

Train:To Antwerp Central then walk along the main shopping street De Keyserlei which becomes Leysstraat after it intersects Frankrijklei and eventually becomes Meir after intersecting Otto Veniusstraat and Jezusstraat. It sounds confusing but basically Otto Veniusstraat should be on your left and Jezusstraat on your right as you enter Meir.
Then you just continue till the end of Meir where it connects with Huideverettersstraat. You turn left and go down Huideverettersstraat until it intersects Schuttersofsstraat. You should continue down the left hand fork which Komedieplaats and becomes Leopoldstraat after it intersects with Arenbergstraat. The Botanic Garden should be on your right hand side.

An alternative route is via the right hand fork after Huideverettersstraat which is Lange Gasthuisstraat. The Entrance to the Botanical Garden will be on your left but it is not very obvious. I only found it by accident and after going through discovered the Leopoldstraat entrance from which you can easily see the botanical garden as you walk past.

Additional information:

• Botanic Gardens Conservation International. Entry for Antwerp Botanical Garden

Flora and Fauna - Plants and Critters Blog by Vincent Albert Vermeulen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Based on a work at http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.be/.

Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.be/.

My other blogs

· Flora and Fauna - Plants and Critters (on plants, animals as well as gardening, conservation and environmental matters): http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.com/
· The Blood of Souls (language, translation and etymology) : http://thebloodofsouls.blogspot.com/
· Whiskers on Kittens (Life with Kittens and Cats in general) : http://whiskersonkittens-vincent.blogspot.com/

Gerberas

I was on my way home when I saw these Gerbera being sold in a street flower stall and decided to get some so I could get some photos of them for the blog as well as just to practice taking photos with different backgrounds. I'll be covering them in a later blog post and use some of the photos in my Plant Family and Plant Order posts.

Orange Gerbera on Black Background

Pink Gerbera on Orange background

Pink Gerbera on Yellow background

Pink Gerbera on green background

As you probably guessed I found it fascinating how the background colour had an impact on the flower's colour.

Flora and Fauna - Plants and Critters Blog by Vincent Albert Vermeulen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Based on a work at http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.be/.

Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.be/.

My other blogs

· Flora and Fauna - Plants and Critters (on plants, animals as well as gardening, conservation and environmental matters): http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.com/
· The Blood of Souls (language, translation and etymology) : http://thebloodofsouls.blogspot.com/
· Whiskers on Kittens (Life with Kittens and Cats in general) : http://whiskersonkittens-vincent.blogspot.com/

The Garden at Cantock's Close: Part 3

Here are some more photos of the Garden at Cantock's Close at the University of Bristol.

Flower of unidentified plant - possibly of the Family Apiaceae

I think that the plant (flower above) belongs to the Family Apiaceae (or Umbelliferae) which is commonly known as the the carrot or parsley family. The reason I sat that is because the foliage and flower structure resemble that of Dacus carota (Carrot) and other members of Apiaceae. But I'm not entirely certain yet.

View of the rock garden at Cantock's Close

Echinaceae purpurea and unidentified plant

Unidentified plant

 Above is the plant with the dense clusters of yellow flowers which I suspect belongs to Apiaceae. Note the leaves structure.

Echinops rito or E. ritro subsp. Ruthenicus - Globe thistle

Echinops is a genus that belongs to the Tribe Cynareae which is part of Family Asteraceae. I am not sure if these are Echinops rito or Echinops ritro subspecies Ruthenicus or even another species in the genus. However, since both of these have been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society accolade of Garden merit, I think that it is highly likely that that would make them the most likely candidates.

'Veitch's Blue'

 

 Incidentally both Family Asteraceae and Family Apiaceae belong to the Order Asterales.

Asterids – Order Asterales – Family Asteraceae – Tribe Cynareae – Genus: Echinops – Species: E. rito (Ruthenian globe thistle), E. sphaerocephalus (Great globe thistle or Plae globe thistle), E. ritro and subspecies E. ritro subsp. Ruthenicus 

Asterids – Order Asterales – Family Asteraceae – Subfamily: Asteroideae – Tribe: Heliantheae – Genus: Echinaceae – Species: E. purpurea

Asterids – Order: Apiales – Family: Apiaceae:  – Genus: Dacus – Species: D. carota (carrot) 




Flora and Fauna - Plants and Critters Blog by Vincent Albert Vermeulen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Based on a work at http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.be/.

Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.be/.

My other blogs

· Flora and Fauna - Plants and Critters (on plants, animals as well as gardening, conservation and environmental matters): http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.com/
· The Blood of Souls (language, translation and etymology) : http://thebloodofsouls.blogspot.com/

· Whiskers on Kittens (Life with Kittens and Cats in general) : http://whiskersonkittens-vincent.blogspot.com/