A dozen or so plants are growing along the west side of the Murder Creek Church Road just south of its crossing the dam on Margery Lake. There were also a couple of plants on the east side of the road. 
A closer view of one of the plants. They are only 7 to 8 inches high and blend into the background. If it hadn’t been cloudy and gray on March 6th, I might not have noticed the bright yellow florets that make up the flower head that is only about 6 mm in diameter. The plants were no more than 6 to 7 inches tall.
A closer view of a leaf. Leaves are quite distinctive in shape and many had long white hairs on the upper surface.
The flowers develop as clusters at the tip of a stem. This photo shows an unopened bud and several flowers.The black bracts at the base of the flower are diagnostic for this species.
A close view of a flower that is composed of many small florets.
This flower is starting to go to seed.
A seed head. A few florets remain. The seed head is quite delicate. A strong breeze was blowing seeds from the head as I was photographing it.
Seeds are very light and blow away easily on the breeze. This plant is an annual and depends on seed dispersal to perpetuate the species.Old-man-in-the-spring is a native of Europe and is found throughout the United States and Canada. In Georgia it has only been documented from Lincoln and Wilkes counties.
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Distribution Map:
- United States Department of Agriculture Plants Database: Senecio vulgaris (Old-man-in-the-spring)
- University of North Carolina Herbarium: Senecio vulgaris
Identification resources:
- Southeastern Flora: Old-man-in-the-spring (Senecio vulgaris)
- Natural and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Senecio vulgaris (Common Groundsel)
- Missouri Plants: Senecio vulgaris
Related posts:
- 2010: Year Of The Wildflower – Wildflower Index
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