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Helenium autumnale

common sneezeweed, fall sneezeweed, hélénie automnale, large-flower sneezeweed, mountain sneezeweed

Bigelow's sneezeweed, tall sneezeweed, tall sneezweed

Habit Perennials, 50–130 cm. Perennials, 30–130 cm.
Stems

1(–7), branched distally, strongly winged, sparsely to densely hairy proximally, moderately to densely hairy distally.

1–3(–10), unbranched or sparingly branched distally, weakly to moderately winged, glabrous proximally, glabrous or sparsely hairy distally.

Leaves

usually moderately to densely hairy, sometimes glabrous;

basal blades (withered by flowering) lanceolate, oblanceolate, or obovate, entire or weakly lobed;

proximal and mid blades obovate to oblanceolate, usually dentate or entire;

distal blades oblanceolate to lanceolate, entire or dentate.

glabrous or sparsely hairy;

basal blades oblanceolate to oblong-elliptic, entire;

proximal and mid blades lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, entire;

distal blades linear to lanceolate, entire.

Peduncles

3–10 cm, moderately to densely hairy.

(6–)10–30 cm, sparsely to moderately hairy.

Involucres

globoid, 8–20 × 8–23 mm.

hemispheric to globoid, 12–20 × (14–)17–22(–25) mm.

Ray florets

8–21, pistillate, fertile;

corollas yellow, 10–23 × 4–10 mm.

14–20, pistillate, fertile;

corollas yellow, 13–25 × 5–10(–12) mm.

Disc florets

200–400(–800+);

corollas yellow proximally, yellow to yellow-brown distally, 2.4–4 mm, lobes 5.

250–500(–800+);

corollas yellow proximally, yellow to brown to purple distally, 3–4.4(–4.8) mm, lobes 5.

Phyllaries

(connate proximally) moderately to densely hairy.

(connate proximally) moderately to densely hairy.

Heads

5–70(–100+) per plant, in paniculiform arrays.

1–20 per plant, borne singly or in paniculiform arrays.

Cypselae

1–2 mm, sparsely to moderately hairy;

pappi of 5–7 entire, aristate scales (0.5–)0.9–1.5(–1.8) mm.

1.8–2.4 mm, moderately hairy;

pappi of 6–8 entire, aristate scales 1.3–2.2(–2.7) mm.

2n

= 32, 34, 36.

= 32.

Helenium autumnale

Helenium bigelovii

Phenology Flowering (Jul–)Aug–Oct(–Nov). Flowering (May–)Jul–Aug(–Oct).
Habitat Roadsides, fields, along streams, ditches, seepage areas, around ponds and lakes Bogs and swamps, around ponds and lakes, along streams, in moist meadows
Elevation 20–2600 m (100–8500 ft) 60–3400 m (200–11200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; MI; MO; MS; MT; NC; ND; NE; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; SC; TN; TX; UT; VA; WA; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NT; ON; QC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 21, p. 431. FNA vol. 21, p. 432.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Gaillardiinae > Helenium Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Gaillardiinae > Helenium
Sibling taxa
H. amarum, H. arizonicum, H. bigelovii, H. bolanderi, H. brevifolium, H. campestre, H. drummondii, H. elegans, H. flexuosum, H. linifolium, H. microcephalum, H. pinnatifidum, H. puberulum, H. quadridentatum, H. thurberi, H. vernale, H. virginicum
H. amarum, H. arizonicum, H. autumnale, H. bolanderi, H. brevifolium, H. campestre, H. drummondii, H. elegans, H. flexuosum, H. linifolium, H. microcephalum, H. pinnatifidum, H. puberulum, H. quadridentatum, H. thurberi, H. vernale, H. virginicum
Synonyms H. autumnale var. canaliculatum, H. autumnale var. fylesii, H. autumnale var. grandiflorum, H. autumnale var. montanum, H. autumnale var. parviflorum, H. latifolium, H. parviflorum
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 886. (1753) Torrey & A. Gray: in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 107. (1857)
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