[rag-wurt, -wawrt] 
| any of various composite plants of the genus Senecio, as S. jacobaea, of the Old World, having yellow flowers and irregularly lobed leaves, or S. aureus (golden ragwort), of North America, also having yellow flowers. |
| rag·wort (rāg'wûrt', -wôrt') n. Any of several plants of the very large genus Senecio in the composite family, having yellow flower heads, especially S. aureus of eastern North America. S. jacobaea, a European species poisonous to livestock, is widely naturalized in North America. [From the ragged shape of its leaves.] |
ragwort
any of about 1,200 species of annual, biennial, and perennial herbs, shrubs, trees, and climbers constituting the genus Senecio of the family Asteraceae, distributed throughout the world. Some species are cultivated as border plants or houseplants, and many species contain alkaloids that are poisonous to grazing animals
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