Helianthus silphioides Nutt.
Family - Asteraceae
Stems - No info. yet.
Leaves - No info. yet.
Adaxial surface.
Abaxial surface.
Inflorescence - No info. yet.
Involucre - No info. yet.
Involucre.
Ray flowers - No info. yet.
Disk flowers - No info. yet.
Disk close-up.
Flowering - August - October.
Habitat - Low sandy soil near streams, borders of woods, dry upland woods, thickets, roadsides. Typically on acid soils.
Origin - Native to U.S.
Other info. - This showy species can be found in the southeastern corner of Missouri. This is a very showy plant worthy of cultivation. It grows to 3m tall and produces many flowers.
Photographs taken off Hwy C., Carter County, MO., 8-31-03.
The plant is easy to ID in the field because of its rounded involucre bracts and leaves, which are mostly in the basal half of the plant.
The species epithet, "silphioides" means "looks like Silphium" which is another genus in the family Asteraceae. Plants in the genus Silphium have rounded involucre bracts and undivided styles on their disk flowers.
