Slender sunflower

Perennials, 60–200 cm (taprooted). Stems (reddish or purplish) erect, hairy. Leaves cauline; all or mostly opposite; petioles 0–3 cm; blades (1- or 3-nerved) lanceolate to lance-ovate, 5–11 × 2–3.5 cm, bases cuneate, margins entire or serrate, abaxial faces hispid, gland-dotted. Heads 1–5. Peduncles 2.5–30 cm. Involucres hemispheric, 13–20 mm diam. Phyllaries 20–25, lanceolate, 4–8 × 1.5–3 mm, (margins ciliate) apices acute, abaxial faces hispidulous, gland-dotted. Paleae 8–9 mm, subentire to weakly 3-toothed (apices acute, ciliate, gland-dotted). Ray florets 13–21; laminae 15–25 mm (abaxial faces gland-dotted). Disc florets 50+; corollas 5–6 mm, lobes reddish; anthers reddish brown, appendages yellow or dull orange (style branches yellow ). Cypselae 3–4 mm, glabrate; pappi of 2 aristate scales 2.5–3 mm. 2n = 34.

Flowering late spring–fall. Dry slopes; 0–1800 m; Calif.; Mexico (Baja California).