The Sunflower Family (Asteraceae) has many late-summer bloomers, but one that is up right now is Lobeleaf Groundsel (Packera multilobata). This same plant has been known for many years as Basin Butterweed (Senecio multilobatus). "Multilobatus" means many lobes, referring to the leaves. Supposedly scientific names are used because they don't change, but that doesn't seem to be the rule in botany. To further confuse things, other common names are Great Basin Groundsel and Uinta Groundsel.I wanted to know why the name Senecio was changed to Packera. On the great Southwest Colorado Wildflowers page, I found the following description:
2) Weber separates Packera from Senecio as follows:
Packera has horizontal underground stems that root and can produce new plants, i.e., Packera is "rhizomatous"; or Packerahas an erect, persistent, woody base (a "caudex"), with branching fibrous roots;
Senecio has either a short, coarse lateral, or almost erect rhizome or has a very short, button-like caudex and has long unbranched fleshy fibrous roots.
Packera has entire to deeply cut basal leaves only rarely with hard, thick, very fine teeth along the margin.
Senecio leaves are entire or may have backward curving teeth or small callous teeth on the margins.
Packera plants are often no more than half a meter tall.
Senecio plants are commonly over a meter.
The flowers rise far above their basal leaves. This plant is adaptable, growing from 4,500 to 10,500 feet. 
Here's a close-up of the many-lobed basal leaves.
Before the flowers rise up and bloom, this is what the plant looks like.
Sometimes there is a nice collection of lobeleaf groundsel all together. For more information, click here.
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