Senecio canescens

Botanical Description

Senecio canescens is an erect, perennial plant with stems that are more or less woody at the base and persist; it can grow around 30 - 60cm tall, spreading at the roots by means of rhizomes. The leaves are thick and covered entirely with downy, whitish fluff[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. , 1915 Title Ethnobotany of the Andes Publication Author Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors) Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1 Publisher Springer Nature; Switzerland Year 2020 ISBN 978-3-030-28932-4 Description ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. It is an important medicinal plant in parts of its range and is sold in many local markets[ 1915 Title Ethnobotany of the Andes Publication Author Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors) Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1 Publisher Springer Nature; Switzerland Year 2020 ISBN 978-3-030-28932-4 Description ] Senecio canescens has a wide range in the Andes. Its habitat is vulnerable to threats such as overgrazing, natural erosion, burning, mining and climate change that is causing more intense dry seasons. In addition, indiscriminate harvesting of the plant for medicinal use in certain areas is threatening local populations[ 1915 Title Ethnobotany of the Andes Publication Author Bussmann R.W. & Paniagua-Zambrana N.Y. (Editors) Website https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28933-1 Publisher Springer Nature; Switzerland Year 2020 ISBN 978-3-030-28932-4 Description ]. The plant is currently classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].