Senecio madagascariensis

Senecio madagascariensis, also known as Madagascar ragwort, is a species of the genus Senecio and family Asteraceae that is native to Southern Africa. Other common names include Madagascar groundsel and fireweed. It has been included on the noxious weeds list for Hawaii and the reject list for Australia. S.madagascariensis is the diploid cytotype of S.inaequidens.

Description

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 1 m tall. The leaves are 4-8 cm long by 3-12 mm wide.

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Edible Uses

The leaves are cooked as a vegetable.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are cooked as a vegetable.

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Known Hazards

Senecio madagascariensis contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids and is poisonous. Horses, cattle, and other livestock are at risk. Symptoms of poisoning from fireweed include gradual weight loss, jaundice, fluid in the lungs, blindness, sudden death without any other indications, aimless wandering, muscular coordination, twitching of the head muscles, abdominal straining, rectal prolapse, and irritability.

Distribution

It is a subtropical plant. It grows from sea level to 1,500 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Hawaii, Pacific, South Africa, Southern Africa*, South America, Uruguay,

Also Known As

Impondlampondla

References (3)

• Kepe, T., 2008, Social Dynamics of the Value of Wild Edible Leaves (Imifino) in a South African Rural Area. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 47:531-558
• Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 37
• Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179

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