Helianthus cusickii

Perennials, 60-120 cm (taproots stout, parsniplike). Stems erect to prostrate, glabrous or glabrate. Leaves cauline; mostly opposite, petioles 0-1 cm; blades (light to dark green, 3-nerved at bases) lance-linear to lanceolate, 5-15 × 0.5-2.5 cm, bases cuneate, margins entire, abaxial faces glabrous or scabro-hispid, gland-dotted. Heads 1-3. Peduncles 2-10 cm. Involucres hemispheric, 12-28 mm diam. Phyllaries 12-18, lanceolate, 11-18 × 1.5-3 mm, apices acute to acuminate, abaxial faces gland-dotted. Paleae (lanceolate) 9-13 mm, subentire or 3-toothed (apices sparsely hairy, sometimes gland-dotted). Ray florets 12-16; laminae 20-35 mm (abaxial faces gland-dotted). Disc florets 40+; corollas 6.5-7.5 mm, lobes yellow; anthers usually dull orange or orange-brown, sometimes yellowish, appendages dull orange to yellowish. Cypselae 4-5 mm, glabrate; pappi of 2 aristate scales 3-4.2 mm. 2n = 34.

Flowering late spring-summer. Dry slopes, open woods; 600-2000 m; Calif., Idaho, Nev., Oreg., Wash.