The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

hélénie nudiflore, purple sneezeweed, purple-head sneezeweed

Bigelow's sneezeweed, tall sneezeweed, tall sneezweed

Habit Perennials, 30–100 cm. Perennials, 30–130 cm.
Stems

usually 1, usually branched distally, strongly winged, glabrous or sparsely hairy proximally, sparsely to moderately hairy distally.

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

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, sparsely to moderately hairy.

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

Involucres

globoid to usually ovoid, 8–17 × 9–17 mm.

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

Ray florets

usually 8–13, neuter, sometimes 0;

corollas yellow to reddish brown to red to purple, 10–20 × 5–10 mm.

14–20, pistillate, fertile;

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

Disc florets

250–500(–700+);

corollas yellow proximally and purple distally or purple throughout, 2.3–3.7 mm, lobes 4(–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

(1–)5–50(–80+) per plant, in paniculiform arrays.

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

Cypselae

1–1.2 mm, moderately hairy;

pappi of 5–6 entire, aristate scales 0.6–1(–1.7) mm.

1.8–2.4 mm, moderately hairy;

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

2n

= 28.

= 32.

Helenium flexuosum

Helenium bigelovii

Phenology Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul(–Oct). Flowering (May–)Jul–Aug(–Oct).
Habitat Ditches, fields, washes, along streams Bogs and swamps, around ponds and lakes, along streams, in moist meadows
Elevation 10–900 m (0–3000 ft) 60–3400 m (200–11200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; MI; MO; MS; NC; NJ; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WI; WV; NS; ON; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 21, p. 429. 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. autumnale, H. bigelovii, H. bolanderi, H. brevifolium, H. campestre, H. drummondii, H. elegans, 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. nudiflorum
Name authority Rafinesque: New Fl. 4: 81. (1838) Torrey & A. Gray: in War Department [U.S.], Pacif. Railr. Rep. 4(5): 107. (1857)
Web links