Would someone be able to help me identify this plant? I found it growing in a coastal area, in the north of Devon, in England. It was typical hedge, wildflower, and long-grass in the area. Thank you!
Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea, syn. Jacobaea vulgaris. http://ip30.eti.uva.nl/BIS/flora.php?selected=beschrijving&menuentry=soorten&id=4084
An interesting thing is that it crosses with S. cineraria to produce fairly attractive intermediates. I have found these multiple times here, sometimes growing alongside S. jacobaea some distance from any gardens where the S. cineraria pollen could have originated. The recognizable hybrids display some of the sub-shrubbiness and grayness (more so than grayish individuals of S. jabobaea) of S. cineraria, as well as producing intermediate flowerheads that are often actually more substantial and appealing than those of either parent.
Poisonous to horses, and perhaps other livestock, they eat it when it's cut and dried, not growing. It used to be a notifiable weed on pasture, maybe still is, and to be pulled out, not mown.
