Helenium flexuosum

Rafinesque

New Fl. 4: 81. 1838.

Common names: Purplehead sneezeweed hélénie nudiflore
Endemic
Synonyms: Helenium nudiflorum Nuttall
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 21. Treatment on page 429. Mentioned on page 427, 430.

Perennials, 30–100 cm. Stems usually 1, usually branched distally, strongly winged, glabrous or sparsely hairy proximally, sparsely to moderately hairy distally. Leaves glabrous or sparsely to moderately hairy; basal blades oblanceolate to obovate or spatulate, entire or serrate; proximal and mid blades oblanceolate to lanceolate, entire or toothed; distal blades lanceolate to lance-linear, entire. Heads (1–)5–50(–80+) per plant, in paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 3–10 cm, sparsely to moderately hairy. Involucres globoid to usually ovoid, 8–17 × 9–17 mm. Phyllaries (connate proximally) moderately to densely hairy. Ray florets usually 8–13, neuter, sometimes 0; corollas yellow to reddish brown to red to purple, 10–20 × 5–10 mm. Disc florets 250–500(–700+); corollas yellow proximally and purple distally or purple throughout, 2.3–3.7 mm, lobes 4(–5). Cypselae 1–1.2 mm, moderately hairy; pappi of 5–6 entire, aristate scales 0.6–1(–1.7) mm. 2n = 28.


Phenology: Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul(–Oct).
Habitat: Ditches, fields, washes, along streams
Elevation: 10–900 m

Distribution

V21-1073-distribution-map.gif

N.S., Ont., Que., Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

It has been suggested that Helenium flexuosum may be of hybrid origin from H. campestre (perennial, 2n = 28) and some member of Helenium sect. Tetrodus (H. F. L. Rock 1957). The only member of sect. Tetrodus that has a chromosome number of 2n = 28 is H. linifolium, an annual from southern Texas.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Helenium flexuosum"
Mark W. Bierner +
Rafinesque +
Purplehead sneezeweed +  and hélénie nudiflore +
N.S. +, Ont. +, Que. +, Ala. +, Ark. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Ky. +, La. +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Miss. +, Mo. +, N.J. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Pa. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Va. +, W.Va. +  and Wis. +
10–900 m +
Ditches, fields, washes, along streams +
Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul(–Oct). +
Helenium nudiflorum +
Helenium flexuosum +
Helenium +
species +