Helianthus petiolaris

Helianthus petiolaris is a North American plant species in the family Asteraceae, commonly known as the prairie sunflower[2] or lesser sunflower.[3] Naturalist and botanist Thomas Nuttall was the first to describe the prairie sunflower in 1821.[4][5] The word petiolaris in Latin means, “having a petiole”.[5] The species originated in Western United States, but has since expanded east. The prairie sunflower is sometimes considered a weed.[6]

Helianthus petiolaris
Prairie sunflower

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Helianthus
Species:
H. petiolaris
Binomial name
Helianthus petiolaris
Synonyms[1]
  • Helianthus couplandii B.Boivin
  • Helianthus integrifolius Nutt.
  • Helianthus patens Lehm.
  • Helianthus canescens (A.Gray) S.Watson, syn of var. canescens
  • Helianthus canus (Britton) Wooton & Standl., syn of var. canescens
Range in the United States and Canada

Distribution

Helianthus petiolaris originated in the dry prairies of Minnesota, Oregon, Texas, the Dakotas, California, and other states in Western and Central United States. It has since expanded its distribution to throughout the Eastern United States and into central and western Canada. It is now the most widely distributed species of sunflower besides H. annuus.[7]

Habitat and ecology

Prairie sunflowers are commonly found growing in sandy areas. They can also be found in heavy clay soil and in dry prairies. They are unable to grow in shady areas; they need to be in direct sunlight. Prairie sunflowers require dry to moist soil. This species of sunflower is an annual flower, blooming between June and September.[7]

Morphology

Prairie sunflower is a taprooted annual. It grows up to 4 ft (120 cm) tall. The leaves appear alternate and the flowers have a close resemblance to the traditional sunflower. The flowers are hermaphrodites, which means the flowers contain both male and female parts.[8] The stem of the flower is erect and hairy. The leaves are alternate, have a lanceolate shape, are rough in texture, are bluish-green in color, and have a length between 2 and 5 in.[2][9]

Flowers
Prairie Sunflower

Helianthus petiolaris has flower heads reminiscent of those of a common sunflower, H. annuus. The fruits of the flowers are known as achenes. The flower head contains 10-30 yellow ray florets, surrounding 50-100 dark red-brown disc florets, and green, lanceolate phyllaries (bracts).[10] The center of the flower has hints of white due to the presence of white hairs on the chaff. The flowers attract butterflies and bees for pollination.[2][9]

Food

The seeds in the plant are edible and can be ground up into an oily meal or into a butter.[11]

Medicinal

Powdered leaves of the prairie sunflower are said to work well with the healing of sores and swellings.[8][12]

Varieties[1][2]

References
  1. "Helianthus petiolaris". The Global Compositae Checklist (GCC) – via The Plant List. Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online
  2. Schilling, Edward E. (2006). "Helianthus petiolaris". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 21. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  3. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  4. Nuttall, Thomas 1821. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2(1): 115–116 diagnosis in Latin, description and commentary in English
  5. Kantrud, Harold A. (1995). "Plains Sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris)". Native Wildflowers of the North Dakota Grasslands. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. Archived from the original on 2014-08-13. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  6. Cantamutto, M (2008). ". Multi-scale analysis of two annual Helianthus species naturalization in Argentina". Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 123 (1–3): 69–74. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2007.04.005. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  7. "Helianthus petiolaris". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014.
  8. "Helianthus petiolaris". Plants for a Future. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  9. Heiser, Charles (1976). The Sunflower. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 9780806112299.
  10. Kinsey, Beth. "Heliathus petiolaris- Prairie Sunflower". Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  11. "Helianthus petiolaris". Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  12. "How to care for dry, cracked heels". NBC News. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  13. "Helianthus petiolaris". Tropicos. Missouri Botanical Garden.
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