Both species shown on this page were originally placed in the Senecio genus.  The Flora of North America and The Synthesis accept William Weber's 1981 genus name, Packera, but Intermountain Flora and A Utah Flora still accept Senecio as the name of this genus. 

   John Packer is a Canadian botanist.  (More biographical information.)

   See more Packera.

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, May 13 and 31, 2004.

Common in Canyon Country in mid-spring, Packera multilobata produces small but numerous bright yellow flowers atop many, deeply cut, lobed leaves.  Packera multilobata brightens shady Cottonwood groves and sandy open arid areas.

"Multilobata", Latin, means "many lobed" and refers to the leaves.

John Fremont collected the first specimens of this plant for science in the 1840s in California and John Torrey and Asa Gray named the plant Senecio multilobatus in 1849.  William Weber renamed it Packera multilobata in 1981.  Click to see the note about Senecios.

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, May 13, 2004.

Packera multilobata might at first appear to have only disk flowers but eventually the ray flowers do appear.

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, May 13, 2004.

Packera multilobata frequently produces a spectacular flowering.

Semi-desert, foothills. Woodlands, openings. Spring, summer. 
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, June 12, 2005.

By early summer Packera multilobata flowers have withered and silky pappus hairs are ready to carry seeds on summer breezes.

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Summer.
Horse Gulch Trail, June 7, 2004.

The Packera genus is common in the San Juans and nearby mountain ranges, but species are difficult to distinguish because they hybridize. The very common Packera neomexicana can have many forms and is at times especially difficult to identify. 

P. neomexicana enjoys dry hillsides and meadows and can produce an abundance of flowers on each plant and an abundance of plants in a small area.  The elongated stalk with few, small leaves is characteristic.

Charles Wright collected the first specimens of this plant for science in New Mexico and the plant was first named Senecio neomexicanus by Asa Gray in 1884.

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Summer.
West Mancos Trail, June 1, 2000.

Varying growing conditions and varying genetics produce a variety of leaf shapes and lushness of growth, but the leaves pictured at left are fairly typical of Packera neomexicana.

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Summer.
Narraguinnep Natural Area, May 28, 2004.

Foothills, montane, subalpine. Woodlands, openings. Summer.
Mesa Verde National Park, Prater Ridge Trail, June 3, 2004.

Going and gone to seed.  The white puff is made up of the pappus hairs which sit at the top of the seeds and carry them on the wind.