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*The following is based on text excerpted from: Gann, G.D., K.A. Bradley, & S.W. Woodmansee. 2002. Rare Plants of South Florida: Their History, Conservation, and Restoration. The Institute for Regional Conservation: Miami. For the original text, click on the link above and go to the chapter and page number listed in the Update field below. Cite this page as: Gann, G.D., and S.W. Woodmansee. 2006-2013. Species Account Update, Floristic Inventory of South Florida Database Online. The Institute for Regional Conservation. Delray Beach, Florida. If no Update field is displayed, then cite as the original publication.
Helianthus radula (Pursh) Torr.

Stiff sunflower

South Florida Status: Critically imperiled. One occurrence at Big Cypress National Preserve.

Taxonomy: Dicotyledon; Asteraceae.

Habit: Perennial terrestrial herb.

Distribution: Native to the southeastern coastal plain. Wunderlin (1998) reports this as frequent nearly throughout Florida.

South Florida Distribution: Collier County, where it is disjunct from Hardee and Okeechobee counties.

South Florida Habitats: Mesic flatwoods.

Protection Status: Not listed by any agency.

Aids to Identification: Bell & Taylor (1982) has a color photo; Taylor (1992) has a color photo.

References: Chapman, 1883; Small, 1933a; Long & Lakela, 1976; Cronquist, 1980; Godfrey & Wooten, 1981; Bell & Taylor, 1982; Taylor, 1992; Wunderlin, 1998.

Synonyms: None.


Historical Context: William G. Atwater first collected stiff sunflower in 1958 “5 miles e. of Miles City” in Collier County (C-7, FLAS). This station is probably the same as that vouchered in the Bear Island area of Big Cypress National Preserve by Bradley in 1997 (662, FTG), and by Jordan Muss in 1998 (s.n., USF). Bradley and Woodmansee observed plants there as recently as 2001.

Major Threats: William G. Atwater first collected stiff sunflower in 1958 “5 miles e. of Miles City” in Collier County (C-7, FLAS). This station is probably the same as that vouchered in the Bear Island area of Big Cypress National Preserve by Bradley in 1997 (662, FTG), and by Jordan Muss in 1998 (s.n., USF). Bradley and Woodmansee observed plants there as recently as 2001.

Comments: This is a temperate species at the southern end of its range, and it always may have been uncommon in South Florida.

Recommendations: • Map and monitor known stations on a regular basis.