Heliopsis helianthoides var. occidentalis (T.R. Fisher) Steyermark
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
Genus: Helianthus
 
Species Synonyms: Heliopsis helianthoides ssp. occidentalis T.R. Fisher
Common Names: smooth oxeye
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: southeastern Saskatchewan – Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan: southeastern Saskatchewan; Tisdale – McKague – Alida
Ecoregion: Aspen Parkland, Boreal Transition
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: roadsides, woods, and meadows
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Endangered
Nature Conservancy Status:
G5 S1
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Heliopsis helianthoides var. occidentalis is endangered because it is somewhat regionally restricted in the province and the populations are almost always locally sparse.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 80 – 150 cm tall
Roots: fibrous-rooted caudex or stout rootstocks
Stems: firm, branched upwards
Leaves: cauline, opposite, petiolate; 5 – 15 cm long, 3 – 8 cm wide, firm, 3-nerved, ovate to broadly lanceolate, base truncate to rounded, apex acute to acuminate, scabrous, margin serrate
Inflorescence: heads solitary to few, 1 – 2.5 cm broad, radiate; peduncle elongate, thickened below head; involucre in 1 or 2 subequal series, lanceolate, green, scabrous; receptacle conical, elongating at maturity, chaffy bracts concave and clasping both ligulate and tubular florets
Flowers: ligulate florets 10 – 17, to 4 cm long, usually fertile, yellow, persistent; tubular florets many, pistillate, fertile
Fruits: ligulate achenes 3-angled, tubular achenes 4-angled, glabrous; pappus absent or coroniform
 
HELIANTHUS VS HELIOPSIS IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
Receptacle conical; ligules firm, persistent at summit of marginal achenes after withering
Heliopsis
Receptacle flat or nearly so; ligules petaloid and promptly deciduous
Helianthus