Lakeside sunflower

Perennials, 10–60 cm, (with crown buds). Stems erect, (unbranched) glabrous, eglandular. Leaves mostly basal; opposite (proximal) or alternate; petioles obscure (intergrading with blades); blades lanceolate to lance-linear or linear, 10–25 × 0.5–1.5 cm, bases cuneate, margins entire, faces glabrous, not gland-dotted (cauline 1–5 pairs, smaller). Heads 1(–3). Peduncles 5–10 cm. Involucres broadly hemispheric, 17–25 mm diam. Phyllaries (green with purple veins) 25–30, ovate to lance-ovate, 8–16 × 3–5 mm, apices acuminate, abaxial faces usually glabrous, sometimes puberulent. Paleae 8–9 mm, 3-toothed (middle teeth long-acuminate). Ray florets 12–17; laminae 20–40 mm, (abaxial faces not gland-dotted) . Disc florets 100+; corollas 6–6.5 mm, lobes yellow; anthers dark, appendages yellowish or dark. Cypselae 3 mm, glabrous; pappi of 2 aristate scales 1.5–2 mm plus 2–4 erose scales 0.3–0.6 mm. 2n = 34.

Flowering early–late summer. Wet prairies, flatwoods; of conservation concern; 0–10+ m; Fla.

Helianthus carnosus is distinctive in morphology and is known from relatively few counties in northeastern Florida.