Heliomeris longifolia – Longleaf False Goldeneye

Heliomeris longifolia - Longleaf False Goldeneye

Heliomeris longifolia - Longleaf False Goldeneye

Plant Name

Scientific Name: Heliomeris longifolia

Synonyms: Viguiera annua, V. longifolia

Common Name: Longleaf False Goldeneye

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual

Growth Habit: Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Desert, Upland, Mountain

Flower Color: Yellow disks and rays

Flowering Season: Summer, Fall

Height: To 3 1/2 feet (1 m) tall

Description: The flower heads are 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) across and usually have 12 rays. The leaves have rolled under margins and are shiny, rough, dark green, narrowly linear to lanceolate, and both alternate and opposite. The leaves are rather sparse on the plants. The stems are reddish and hairy.

Viguiera longifolia (larger flowers and wider leaves) and Viguiera annua (smaller flowers and narrower leaves) are both now considered to be varieties of Heliomeris longifolia.

Special Characteristics

Poisonous – The plants are poisonous and can sicken cattle that graze on them.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae – Aster family
Genus: Heliomeris Nutt. – false goldeneye
Species: Heliomeris longifolia (B.L. Rob. & Greenm.) Cockerell – longleaf false goldeneye

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map