ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Helianthus mollis
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    ASTERALES
 FAMILY:   ASTERACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Helianthus mollis
 AUTHORITY:  Lam.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    ASHY SUNFLOWER
    DOWNY SUNFLOWER
    SOFT SUNFLOWER
 
 SYNONOMY:
     Helianthus mollis Lam. var. cordatus S. Wats.
 
 PLANTS CODE: HEMO2
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     FOREST
       THICKETS
     PRAIRIE
       SAND PRAIRIE
         MESIC
       LISTED
         CHARACTERISTIC
     SAVANNA
       BARREN
         DRY-MESIC
       LISTED
         CHARACTERISTIC
     PRIMARY
       GLADE
     CULTURAL
       AGRICULTURAL FIELD
       SUCCESSIONAL FIELD
       DEVELOPED LAND
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     CENTRAL
        Upland oak
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   ADAMS           BOND            BROWN           CALHOUN         CASS
   CHAMPAIGN       CHRISTIAN       CLARK           CLAY            CLINTON
   COLES           COOK            CRAWFORD        CUMBERLAND      DEWITT
   DOUGLAS         DUPAGE          EDGAR           EDWARDS         EFFINGHAM
   FAYETTE         FRANKLIN        FULTON          GREENE          GRUNDY
   HAMILTON        HANCOCK         HENRY           IROQUOIS        JACKSON
   JASPER          JEFFERSON       JERSEY          JOHNSON         KANKAKEE
   KNOX            LAWRENCE        LIVINGSTON      MCLEAN          MACON
   MACOUPIN        MADISON         MARION          MARSHALL        MASSAC
   MONROE          MONTGOMERY      MORGAN          PEORIA          PERRY
   PIATT           PIKE            POPE            PULASKI         RANDOLPH
   RICHLAND        ST. CLAIR       SANGAMON        SCOTT           SHELBY
   UNION           VERMILION       WABASH          WASHINGTON      WAYNE
   WILL            WILLIAMSON      WINNEBAGO
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-herb
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (fibrous)   (rhizomes)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate     Opposite
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Serrate
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:     Oblong     Oval
    INFLORESCENCE:   Head
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete   Regular   Irregular
    FLOWER COLOR:   Yellow
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Epigynous
    FRUIT:   Achene
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     Readily recognized by: 1) broad, clasping leaves, 2) numerous spreading bracts,
     3) extreme hairiness.
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Common
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Forb
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     REPRODUCTION:   Sexual   Vegetative
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      8         MONTH END-      9
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
 
 BIOLOGIC COMMENTS:
     Forms dense colonies from the underground, creeping rhizomes; crown buds also
     present.  Disk florets perfect and fertile; ray florets sterile.
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Roadsides, railroads.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
     GROWTH OF SPECIES IN VARIOUS CONDITIONS:
          GRAVEL         No data entered    SAND           Good
          SANDY LOAM     No data entered    LOAM           No data entered
          CLAY LOAM      No data entered    CLAY           No data entered
          DENSE CLAY     No data entered    ORGANIC SOIL   No data entered
          NEUTRAL pH     No data entered    ACIDIC SOIL    Good
          EXTREMELY ACID No data entered    SALINE SOIL    No data entered
          SODIC SOIL     No data entered    SODIC-SALINE   No data entered
          ROCKY OUTCROPS Good               GENTLE SLOPES  Good
          MODERATE SLOPE Good               STEEP SLOPES   No data entered
     HABITAT:   Moist
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:    No data entered
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     EDIBLE:  Yes
     SHOWY FLOWERS:  YES      AMOUNT:  Medium
 
     WILD HERBS:   Culinary-flavor
 
 HUMAN FACTOR COMMENTS:
     Difficult to keep within garden bounds.  Spreads with rhizomes.  Possible use
     as: breadstuff, oil, soup, coffee substitute.
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:   No data entered
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Steyermark, J. A.  1963.  Flora of Missouri.  Iowa State University Press, Ames.
     1725 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 pp.
White, J., and M. H. Madany.  1978.  Classification of natural communities in
     Illinois.  Pages 309-405 in J. White, ed., Illinois natural areas
     inventory technical report.  Vol. 1.  Survey methods and results.
     Illinois Natural Areas Inventory, Urbana.
Gleason, H. A.  1952.  The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the
     northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.  3 vols.  The New York
     Botanical Garden, New York.
 
 OTHER REFERENCES:
     Rogers, C. E., T. E. Thompson, and G. J. Seiler.  1982.  Sunflower species of
          the United States.  National Sunflower Association, Bismarck, North
          Dakota.  75 pp.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Helianthus mollis
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015