Helianthus strumosus

Helianthus strumosus
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. strumosus
Binomial name
Helianthus strumosus L.
Natural range of Helianthus strumosus from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: paleleaf woodland sunflower

Taxonomic notes

Synonyms: Helianthus montanus E.E. Watson; H. saxicolus Small

Description

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

Helianthus strumosus is a perennial herbaceous species. It is colonial, with perennating rhizomes. This species also tends to be a taller species, with stems up to two meters long.

Ecology

Habitat

H. strumosus occurs in drier, well-drained uplands, including sandy ridges, shaly slopes of oak-pine woods, crests of limestone bluffs, prairie over chalk, pine woodlands, and rocky embankments (FSU Herbarium). It also seems to prefer higher light conditions, occurring in clearings and edges of woodlands, and other open, sunny locations (FSU Herbarium). In addition to more rocky soils, it can be found in sandy silt, sandy clay, or sandy loam (FSU Herbarium). This species also occurs in disturbed habitat, including roadsides, power line corridors, and semi-cleared woodlands (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Longeleaf pine and Oak species (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

Flowering has been observed in June, July, August, September, and November (FSU Herbarium). Fruiting has been observed in July and August (FSU Herbarium).

Fire ecology

This species has been found in annually burned pine woodlands (FSU Herbarium).

References and notes

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: John B. Nelson, S. Bennett, John W. Thieret, H. R. Bennett, Robert Kral, Mabel Kral, D. S. Correll, H. E. Ahles, J. A. Duke, G. W. Parmelee, Mary E. Wharton, Robert F. Thorne, Scott McCoy, R. Kral, Delzie Demaree, Martha Lee, Dan Pittillo, _ Anderson, Tom S. Cooperrider, Norlan C. Henderson, Sidney McDaniel, Michael B. Brooks, Valerie Lumpkin, Kent D. Perkins, Fred Neal, R.K. Godfrey, Douglas Gage, D. S. Correll, R. A. Norris, Angela M. Reid, K. M. Robertson, and Loran C. Anderson. States and Counties: Arkansas: Phillips. Florida: Alachua, Leon, Liberty, and Madison. Georgia: Clarke. Illinois: Cook. Indiana: Newton. Iowa: Dickinson and Jones. Kentucky: Rockcastle. Louisiana: Bienville, Jackson, Natchitoches, Sabine, and Washington. Maryland: Baltimore. Michigan: Oakland. Mississippi: Chickasaw, Forrest, and Oktibbeha. Missouri: Jackson. North Carolina: Iredell and Macon. South Carolina: Sumter and Union. Tennessee: Wayne. Texas: Upshur. Virginia: Alleghany and Giles.