Helianthus cusickii

A. Gray

Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 21: 413. 1886.

Common names: Cusick’s sunflower
Endemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 21. Treatment on page 168. Mentioned on page 145, 146.

Perennials, 60–120 cm (taproots stout, parsniplike). Stems erect to prostrate, glabrous or glabrate. Leaves cauline; mostly opposite, petioles 0–1 cm; blades (light to dark green, 3-nerved at bases) lance-linear to lanceolate, 5–15 × 0.5–2.5 cm, bases cuneate, margins entire, abaxial faces glabrous or scabro-hispid, gland-dotted. Heads 1–3. Peduncles 2–10 cm. Involucres hemispheric, 12–28 mm diam. Phyllaries 12–18, lanceolate, 11–18 × 1.5–3 mm, apices acute to acuminate, abaxial faces gland-dotted. Paleae (lanceolate) 9–13 mm, subentire or 3-toothed (apices sparsely hairy, sometimes gland-dotted). Ray florets 12–16; laminae 20–35 mm (abaxial faces gland-dotted). Disc florets 40+; corollas 6.5–7.5 mm, lobes yellow; anthers usually dull orange or orange-brown, sometimes yellowish, appendages dull orange to yellowish. Cypselae 4–5 mm, glabrate; pappi of 2 aristate scales 3–4.2 mm. 2n = 34.


Phenology: Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat: Dry slopes, open woods
Elevation: 600–2000 m

Distribution

V21-408-distribution-map.gif

Calif., Idaho, Nev., Oreg., Wash.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.