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Fibrous-rooted perennial 2–10 dm, ± puberulent or villous-puberulent at least on the stem, the lower part of the stem generally spreading-villous; lvs decurrent but smaller, fewer, and more erect than in no. 1 [Helenium autumnale L.], entire or subentire, the lowermost ones oblanceolate, commonly deciduous, the others oblong or lanceolate to lance-linear, sessile, generally not much reduced upwards, 3–12 × 0.5–2 cm; heads in well developed plants numerous in an open, corymbiform, leafy-bracteate infl, the disk subglobose or ovoid-globose, 6–15 mm wide, red-brown or purplish; rays ca 8 to ca 13, neutral, sometimes purplish at base, (0.5–)1–2 cm (rarely wanting); disk-fls predominantly 4-merous; pappus-scales 5(–8), ovate or lanceolate, shortly awn-tipped, ca (0.5–)1 mm overall; 2n=28. Moist ground and waste places; Mass. and N.H. to Fla., w. to Wis., Ill., Mo. and Tex., apparently only intr. northward. June–Oct. (H. nudiflorum; H. polyphyllum)
Perennials, 30–130 cm. Stems 1(–2), branched distally, strongly winged, glabrous or sparsely to moderately hairy proximally, glabrous or sparsely hairy distally. Leaves glabrous or sparsely to densely hairy; basal blades oblanceolate, weakly to strongly lobed; proximal and mid blades oblanceolate to lanceolate, usually entire, sometimes dentate; distal blades usually lanceolate, entire. Heads 2–25+ per plant, in paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 2–8 cm, sparsely to moderately hairy. Involucres globoid, 8–15 × 10–16 mm. Phyllaries (connate proximally) sparsely to moderately hairy. Ray florets 8–13, pistillate, fertile; corollas yellow, 10–15 × 4–10 mm. Disc florets 200–400+; corollas yellow proximally, yellow to yellow-brown distally, 2.5–3.5 mm, lobes 5. Cypselae 1.8–2.3 mm, moderately hairy; pappi of 5–6 entire, aristate scales 1.3–2 mm.
