Helianthus smithii

Helianthus smithii is a rare North American species of sunflower known by the common name Smith's sunflower. It is native to the southeastern United States, in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.[2]

Helianthus smithii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Asterales
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Helianthus
Species:
H. smithii
Binomial name
Helianthus smithii
Heiser 1964
Synonyms[1]
  • Helianthus parviflorus var. attenuatus A.Gray 1884 not Helianthus attenuatus E.Watson 1929

Helianthus smithii grows in wet, mucky soils in marshes, ditches, and roadsides. It is a perennial herb up to 260 cm (over 8 feet) tall, spreading by means of underground rhizomes. One plant usually produces 1-15 flower heads, each containing 12–23 yellow ray florets surrounding 100 or more red, yellow, or brown disc florets.

The oldest name for this plant is Helianthus parviflorus var. attenuatus, coined in 1884.[3] Heiser much later wanted to elevate the group to the rank of species, but could not use the name Helianthus attenuatus because it had already been used in 1929 for a plant from New Mexico.[4] He chose to name it for two botanists, both having a hand in the history of the species, John Donnell Smith and Dale Metz Smith.[5][6]

References
  1. Tropicos Helianthus smithii Heiser
  2. Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  3. Gray, Asa. 1884. Synoptical Flora of North America 1(2): 278 as Helianthus parviflorus var. attenuatus,
  4. Watson, Elba Emanuel 1929. Papers of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters 9: 416–417, plate 64
  5. Heiser, Charles Bixler 1964. Rhodora 66(768): 346, in footnote
  6. Georgia Wildlife, Smith's sunflower includes photos, line drawing, references, description


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