Senecio scandens

Senecio scandens is a scrambling, semi-woody perennial of the daisy family (Asteraceae) widespread across China, the Himalaya, and much of East and Southeast Asia. It produces long, climbing or trailing stems that ramble over surrounding vegetation, reaching several metres in length, bearing alternate, triangular to lanceolate leaves with toothed or slightly lobed margins. In late summer and autumn it carries numerous small, bright yellow flower heads in loose, branched, flat-topped clusters, each head with short ray florets surrounding a yellow disc, followed by tufted, wind-dispersed achenes. The species favours thickets, forest margins, roadsides, streambanks and disturbed slopes from lowlands to montane elevations. As with many Senecio species, the whole plant contains hepatotoxic and tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (notably senecionine and seneciphylline), which can cause serious liver injury, so its traditional internal use carries significant safety concerns.