Hi, Dr. Hill,
I came across this plant in the rural Fall Line region on August 14, growing in harsh, dry, full sun conditions. I’m attaching some detailed photos. Thank you for your time.
Diane
Hi Diane,
the best I can do on this one is Helianthus hirsutus. It matches many images I have seen, and presents no problem in the keys. It can, apparently, be a bit more robust with leaves 2-7 cm wide, and the petioles can sometimes be longer than those in your images. I am only 70 % sure on this one. Your images are great, but there is some variation in the 24 or so species of Helianthus in our region.
Sincerely,
Steve Hill, Ph.D., Botanist, SCNPS