Helianthus heterophyllus

Helianthus heterophyllus
Photo was taken by Gil Nelson
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae ⁄ Compositae
Genus:	Helianthus
Species:	H. heterophyllus
Binomial name
Helianthus heterophyllus Nutt.
Natural range of Helianthus heterophyllus from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: variableleaf sunflower

Description

A description of Helianthus heterophyllus is provided in The Flora of North America.

Helianthus heterophyllus is a perennial herbaceous species.

Ecology

Habitat

H. heterophyllus tends to grow on moist sandy soils at lower elevations (FSU Herbarium). It is commonly found on sand, loamy sand, sandy peat, sandy clay, and Lynchburg soils (Aeric Paleaquults) (FSU Herbarium). It can be found in natural communities such as wiregrass savannas, pine flatwoods, grass-sedge bogs, low hillside seepage bogs with wiregrass and Sarracenia, Sphagnum ditches, and pine-saw palmetto flatwoods (FSU Herbarium). This species also occurs in disturbed habitat including roadsides, ditches, disturbed pineland, old fields, pine plantations, and clobbered pine fields (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Pinus palutris, Aristida stricta, Sarracenia, Pinus elliottii, Serenoa repens, Helianthus radula, Bigelowia, Liatris, Marshallia, Eupatorium, Diodia virginiana, Euthamia minor, Pteridium aquilnum, Solidago fistulosa, and Agalinis fasciulata (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

Flowering has been observed in July, September, October, and December (FSU Herbarium).

Fire ecology

This species occurs in habitat that is maintained by fire (FSU Herbarium).

References and notes

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Wilson Baker, Ann F. Johnson, R. Kral, R.K. Godfrey, John Morrill, Jean W. Wooten, Robert A. Norris, Sidney McDaniel, Steve L. Orzell, Edwin L. Bridges, Nancy E. Jordan, Harry E. Ahles, Joseph Ewan, J R Massey, W. Thomas, Victoria I. Sullivan, S. W. Leonard, A. E. Radford, Samuel B. Jones, Jr., O. M. Freeman, Michael B. Brooks, Almut G. Jones, and Robert L. Lazor. States and Counties: Alabama: Baldwin, Conecuh, and Mobile. Florida: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, and Washington. Louisiana: St Tammany and Washington. Mississippi: Forrest, Harrison, and Jackson. North Carolina: Columbus and Robeson. South Carolina: Horry.