Senecio fontanicola

Senecio fontanicola Grulich et Hodalova
Family: Compositae

The species was described in 1994, separating from Senecio doria the specimens of the East Alps. It is characterized by narrower leaves, fewer capitula and earlier blooming in May. It belongs to the Compositae family. It can be 1 metre high, with semi- persistent dark green oblong spatulate leaves in basal rosette, which become linear along the stem. The species is endemic in the East Alps and it is definitely present in Carinzia and in Friuli, and probably also in Veneto.
In Friuli the species is present in the alkaline fens on the lowland and of the Tagliamento river morainic amphiteater, at an altitude from 10 to 300 m above sea level. It is closely connected to  the abundance of calcareous and oligotrophic water. It grows in the wettest areas of the bogs, generally flooded for many months a year by resurgence water, on Schoenus and Molinia tussocks. It shares its habitat with Armeria helodes as they have the same ecological needs and  also thos species is present in few and separated areas. Therefore the species can be defined as highly endangered in the regional territory.