About Helianthus occidentalis Riddell
Helianthus occidentalis Riddell has common names including fewleaf sunflower, nakedstem sunflower, and western sunflower. It is a sunflower species native to the Eastern and Central United States. It grows mostly in the Great Lakes Region and the Ozarks, with scattered additional populations found as far as Massachusetts, Texas, and the Florida Panhandle. This species can be distinguished from other similar sunflower species by its sparse leaves, most of which are clustered near the lower section of the stem. It is a perennial plant that grows to a height between 2 and 5 feet (60–150 cm). It produces one to several yellow flower heads; each head holds 8 to 14 ray florets surrounding more than 50 disc florets. The specific epithet occidentalis means "western" in Latin. This plant was first formally described in 1836, when the Great Lakes Region was considered the western part of the United States. There are two currently recognized subspecies: Helianthus occidentalis subsp. occidentalis, which occurs across most of the species' full range, and Helianthus occidentalis subsp. plantagineus (Torr. & A.Gray) Shinners, which is found in Texas and Arkansas.
