Helianthus divaricatus

{{Short description|Species of sunflower}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Helianthus divaricatus 7718.jpg

|status = G5

|status_system = TNC

|status_ref = {{Cite web

| publisher = NatureServe

| title = Helianthus divaricatus

| work = NatureServe Explorer

| url = http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Helianthus+divaricatus+

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130415141645/http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Helianthus+divaricatus+

| url-status = dead

| archive-date = April 15, 2013

| access-date = 2008-08-30

}}

|genus = Helianthus

|species = divaricatus

|authority = L.

|synonyms_ref = [http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/gcc-14269 The Plant List, Helianthus divaricatus L. ]

|synonyms = Helianthus divaricatus var. angustifolius Kuntze

}}

Helianthus divaricatus, commonly known as the rough sunflower,{{BSBI 2007 |access-date=2014-10-17 }} woodland sunflower,{{PLANTS|id=HEDI2|taxon=Helianthus divaricatus|access-date=19 January 2016}} or rough woodland sunflower,Dickinson, T.; Metsger, D.; Bull, J.; & Dickinson, R. (2004). ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario. Toronto:Royal Ontario Museum, p. 170. is a North American species perennial herb in the family Asteraceae. It is native to central and eastern North America, from Ontario and Quebec in the north, south to Florida and Louisiana and west to Oklahoma and Iowa.[http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Helianthus%20divaricatus.png Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map]

Helanthus divaricatus commonly occurs in dry, relatively open sites. The showy yellow flowers emerge in summer through early fall.{{Cite book

| last =Schilling

| first =Edward E.

| contribution =Helianthus divaricatus

| year =2006

| title =Flora of North America

| volume =21

| page =157

| contribution-url =http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242416630

| location=Oxford

| publisher =Oxford University Press

}}

The woodland sunflower is similar to Helianthus hirsutus, but its stem is rough. It is up to 1.5 m tall with short stalked, lanceolate to oval leaves, 1–8 cm wide with toothed margins. Its flowers have 8 to 15 rays, each 1.5 to 3 cm (0.6-1.2 inches) long, surrounding an orange or yellowish brown central disk. The plant attracts birds and butterflies. The Latin specific epithet divaricatus means spreading in a straggling manner.{{Cite web|title=Helianthus divaricatus - Plant Finder|url=https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=k390|access-date=2022-01-16|website=www.missouribotanicalgarden.org}}