smooth oxeye

(Heliopsis helianthoides var. scabra)

Conservation Status
smooth oxeye
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Midwest

FACU - Facultative upland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

FACU - Facultative upland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Smooth oxeye, also called false sunflower, is a 2 to 5 tall, erect, perennial forb that rises from a creeping rhizome with fibrous roots. There are three varieties of this plant. The center of distribution for this variety is the upper Great Plains. It is the only variety found in Minnesota.

The stem is erect, occasionally branched, even bushy on open situations. The upper part of the stem is rough to the touch due to minute, stiff hairs. The lower stem is less rough.

Leaves are opposite, both on the main stem and within the inflorescence. They are triangular egg-shaped, roughly like an equilateral triangle. They are on leaf stalks that can be 1 16 to long, those of the main leaves averaging ½. The blades can be 2 to 4¾ long and ¾ to 2 wide and taper gradually to a pointed tip. The main leaves are usually 2¾ to 4 long and 1 to 19 16 wide. They are conspicuously veined. The upperside is rough to the touch due to minute, stiff hairs. The underside is less rough. The margins are coarsely toothed.

The inflorescence is 1 to 15 erect flower heads on 3½ to 10 long, leafless stalks at the ends of the stems.

The flower head is 2 to 3½ wide and has 8 to 18, usually 12 to 15, yellow ray florets. The disk is cone-shaped, to 1 wide, and has 10 to 75 slightly darker yellow disk florets. There is no floral scent.

Unlike true sunflowers in the family Helianthus, the ray flowers are fertile. They remain attached to the head after they shrivel and become papery (see photo below).

 
     
 

Height

 
 

2 to 5

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Yellow ray florets, slightly darker yellow disk florets

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

 

 
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Dry. Fields, prairies, woods, waste places. Full sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

July to September

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

 
  6/17/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Asterales (sunflowers, bellflowers, fanflowers, and allies)  
 

Family

Asteraceae (sunflowers, daisies, asters, and allies)  
  Subfamily Asteroideae  
  Supertribe Helianthodae  
  Tribe Heliantheae (sunflowers and allies)  
  Subtribe Zinniinae  
  Genus Heliopsis (oxeyes)  
  Species Heliopsis helianthoides (false sunflower)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

 

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Heliopsis helianthoides ssp. occidentalis

Heliopsis helianthoides ssp. scabra

Heliopsis helianthoides var.occidentalis

Heliopsis minor

Heliopsis scabra

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

false sunflower

heliopsis

smooth oxeye

smooth ox-eye

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Rhizome

A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Bill Reynolds

 
 

Smooth Oxeye

Here is a Smooth Oxeye or False Sunflower head. This wildflower just started showing up in ditch rightaway around my property.

  smooth oxeye  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Plant

 
    smooth oxeye   smooth oxeye  
           
    smooth oxeye      
           
 

Flower Head

 
    smooth oxeye   smooth oxeye  
           
    smooth oxeye   smooth oxeye  
           
 

Cone-shaped Disk

 
    smooth oxeye   smooth oxeye  
           
    smooth oxeye      
           
 

Shriveled Ray Floret Still Attached

 
    smooth oxeye      
           
 

Involucre

 
    smooth oxeye   smooth oxeye  
           
 

Leaves

 
    smooth oxeye   smooth oxeye  
           
 

Stem

 
    smooth oxeye   smooth oxeye  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Heliopsis helianthoides smooth oxeye
Frank Mayfield
 
  Heliopsis helianthoides smooth oxeye  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Oxeye Sunflower - Heliopsis helianthoides in bloom at Ion Exchange
Ionxchange
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Aug 7, 2011

Earthyman views Oxeye Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) in full bloom at Ion Exchange native seed and plant nursery in northeast Iowa. http://www.ionxchange.com

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Bill Reynolds
6/18/2023

Location: Pennington Co. MN

Here is a Smooth Oxeye or False Sunflower head. This wildflower just started showing up in ditch rightaway around my property.

smooth oxeye  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Afton State Park

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Butternut Valley Prairie SNA

Cambria WMA

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Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center

Carver Highlands WMA, South Unit

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John Peter Hoffman Spring Brook Valley WMA

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Kilen Woods State Park

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Lake Rebecca Park Reserve

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Leif Mountain

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Maplewood State Park

Minneopa State Park

Minnesota Valley NWR, Rapids Lake Unit

Mississippi River County Park

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Myre-Big Island State Park

Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR, Hoffman Unit

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Old Mill State Park

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Osmundson Prairie SNA

Otter Tail Prairie SNA

Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo

P.N. and G.M. Nelson Wildlife Sanctuary

Pembina Trail Preserve SNA, Crookston Prairie Unit

Pilot Knob

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Plover Prairie, East Unit

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Red Rock Prairie

Regal Meadow

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Vermillion Highlands Research Recreation and WMA

Vermillion River WMA

Whitetail Woods Regional Park

Wild River State Park

William O’Brien State Park

Wood-Rill SNA

Woodbury WMA

 

 

 

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