Helenium campestre is a North American perennial plant in the sunflower family, commonly known as oldfield sneezeweed or arkansas sneezeweed.Flora of North America, Helenium campestre Small, 1903. Oldfield sneezeweed It is native to the southeastern United States, in Arkansas and northwestern Louisiana.Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
Description Helenium campestre is a perennial herb up to 100 cm (40 inches) tall. One plant can produce as many as 20 flower heads, in branching arrays. The head is spherical or egg-shaped, with sometimes as many as 700 disc florets, each floret yellow near the base but purple or brown towards the tip. There are also 9-15 yellow ray florets. The species grows in ditches, fields, and streambanks.
Similar species The plant is often misidentified as Southern Sneezeweed (Helenium flexuosum) but it can be identified by the number of lobes on the disk florets. H. Campestre has 5 lobes, while H. flexuosom has 4. The flowers on H. campestre are larger and droop more.
Distribution This species has a very limited distribution, occurring only in Arkansas and Louisiana. Within Louisiana, it has been documented in Bossier Parish and Webster Parish.
References