Asteraceae

Helianthus L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 904 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is N. America.

Descriptions

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Herbs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, or alternate in upper part of stem
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Capitula solitary, radiate; phyllaries 2–4-seriate; receptacle with paleae
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Ray florets sterile; disk florets bisexual, 5-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes ± flattened; pappus of up to 2 awns.
Distribution
Genus of some 50 species in North America.
Note
Apart from H. annuuus, also H. tuberosus L. (Jerusalem artichoke) is a widely cultivated food-plant, although not yet known from Somalia.
[FSOM]

Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. & Hind, D. J. N. (Eds). (2019). Flora of Iraq, Volume 6: Compositae.Kew Publishing

Morphology General Habit
Tall, frequently coarse, ± scabrid annual or perennial herbs wtih leaves opposite or spirally arranged, frequently opposite below and alternate above
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum
Capitula showy, sometimes very large, heterogamous, solitary or in corymbs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries
Phyllaries multiseriate, herbaceous; receptacle ± convex to almost flat, paleaceous, paleae persistent, entire or tricuspidate, partially embracing mature achenes
Ray
Ray florets sterile with yellow rays; disc florets hermaphrodite, tubular, lobes yellow or brown
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes ± 4-angled, compressed; pappus early-caducous, of 2 thin chaffy scales and sometimes smaller intermediate scales.
Distribution
50 species in the USA, extending north to Canada and south to Mexico; 3 or 4 species cultivated in Iraq.
Etymology
Helianthus (from the Gr. ήλιος (helios), sun and άνθος (anthos), flower, from the appearance of the capitula and the fact that they turn to face the sun.
[FIQ]

Common Names

English
Sunflower

Sources

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0