ASTERACEAE

SUNFLOWER FAMILY

David J. Keil, Family Editor and author, except as specified

Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate to whorled, simple to compound
Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower, 1–many, generally arrayed in cymes, generally subtended by ± calyx-like involucre; flowers 1–many per head
Flowers bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, ± small, of several types; calyx 0 or modified into pappus of bristles, scales, or awns, which is generally persistent in fruit; corolla radial or bilateral (rarely 0), lobes generally (0)4–5; stamens 4–5, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, often appendaged at tips, bases, or both, filaments generally free, generally attached to corolla near throat; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, style 1, branches 2, generally hair-tufted at tip, stigmas 2, generally on inside of style branches
Fruit: achene, cylindric to ovoid, generally deciduous with pappus attached
Genera in family: ± 1300 genera, 21,000 species (largest family of dicots): worldwide. Largest family in CA. Also see tribal key to CA genera: Strother 1997 Madroño 44(1):1–28. See glossary p. 25 for illustrations of general family characteristics.

HELIOMERIS

GOLDEN-EYE

Annual, perennial herb
Stems 1–many from base, slender, spreading or erect
Leaves simple, opposite or upper alternate, linear to narrowly elliptic, entire
Inflorescence: heads radiate, solitary or in few-headed cymes; peduncles slender, bracts 0–few, linear; involucre hemispheric, appearing disk-shaped when pressed; phyllaries in 2–3 ± equal series, linear; receptacle conic, chaffy, scales linear-lanceolate
Ray flowers sterile; corollas yellow-orange; ligules showy, oblong, entire or nearly so
Disk flowers many; corollas yellow-orange; style tips triangular
Fruit oblanceolate, ± 4-angled, flat, glabrous; pappus 0
Species in genus: 6 species: North America
Etymology: (Greek: sun part, from showy heads)
Reference: [Yates & Heiser 1979 Proc Indiana Acad Sci 88:364–372]

Native

H. multiflora Nutt. var. nevadensis (A. Nelson) Yates

Perennial from branched, woody rootstock
Stems 3–9 dm, slender, erect or spreading, glabrous or finely strigose or puberulent
Leaves 2–6 cm, linear to oblong or narrowly elliptic, ± stiffly hairy near base; tip obtuse to acute; surfaces strigose
Inflorescence: peduncles 5–15 cm; involucre 7–13 mm diam; phyllaries 4–7 mm, linear, strigose
Ray flowers 8–15; ligules 15–20 mm, oblong to ovate
Disk flowers: corollas 3 mm; anthers yellow
Fruit 2 mm
Chromosomes: 2n=16
Ecology: Dry, rocky slopes, upland valleys
Elevation: 1200–2400 m.
Bioregional distribution: East of Sierra Nevada, Desert Mountains
Distribution outside California: to Utah, Arizona
Flowering time: May–Sep
Synonyms: Viguiera m. (Nutt.) S.F. Blake var. n. (Nelson) S.F. Blake
Other vars. widespread in mtns of w North America
Horticultural information: TRY.