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aspen sunflower, five-nerve helianthella, nodding dwarf-sunflower, nodding helianthella, wood sunflower

Habit Plants (30–)50–150 cm.
Cauline leaves

largest proximal to mid stems;

blades usually 3– or 5–nerved, elliptic or ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 10–50 cm, faces sparsely hirsute or glabrous.

Involucres

hemispheric or broader, (25–)40–50 mm diam.

Ray florets

(13–)21; (corollas bright yellow) laminae 25–30(–40) mm.

Disc corollas

yellow.

Phyllaries

(outer sometimes ± foliaceous) ovate to lanceolate (subequal to unequal, margins ciliate).

Heads

usually borne singly, ± nodding.

Cypselae

strongly compressed, narrowly obovate (margins ciliate, faces strigose);

pappi of 2 ± subulate scales plus 2–4+ shorter scales.

Paleae

scarious, relatively soft.

Helianthella quinquenervis

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug(–Oct).
Habitat Moist meadows, aspen glades
Elevation 1400–3600 m (4600–11800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; SD; WY; Mexico (Chihuahua, Nuevo León)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Helianthella quinquenervis grows primarily in the Rocky Mountains, Great Basin ranges, and Black Hills.

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

Source FNA vol. 21, p. 116.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Heliantheae > subtribe Ecliptinae > Helianthella
Sibling taxa
H. californica, H. castanea, H. microcephala, H. parryi, H. uniflora
Synonyms Helianthus quinquenervis
Name authority (Hooker) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 19: 10. (1883)
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