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Helianthus cusickii

Gray

Cusick's Sunflower

G4Apparently Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.136101
Element CodePDAST4N0D0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusHelianthus
Other Common Names
Cusick's sunflower (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-11-06
Change Date2025-11-06
Edition Date2025-11-06
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Helianthus cusickii is a wide-ranging perennial herb found in dry, open habitats such as grassy slopes, sagebrush, open woods, and roadsides. It occurs in the western United States from central Washington and southwestern Idaho south to northern California and western Nevada. There are over 100 estimated occurrences, which potentially face threats from development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered apparently secure.
Range Extent Comments
Helianthus cusickii occurs in the western United States from central Washington and southwestern Idaho south to northern California and western Nevada (FNA 2006, Jepson 2025). Range extent was estimated to be over 300,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 100 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Helianthus cusickii grows in dry, open habitats such as grassy slopes, sagebrush, open woods, and roadsides (Gibson et al. 2003+, FNA 2006, Jepson 2025, OSU 2025).

Reproduction

This species flowers from late spring (April) to summer (August) (Gibson et al. 2003+, FNA 2006).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
IdahoSNRYes
NevadaS3Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (1)
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pasayten RimOkanogan National Forest17,074
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006c. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 21. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 8: Asteraceae, part 3. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 616 pp.
  2. Giblin, D.E., and B.S. Legler (eds.). 2003+. WTU Image Collection Web Site: Vascular Plants, MacroFungi, & Lichenized Fungi of Washington State. University of Washington Herbarium. Online. Available: http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  4. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  5. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2025. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2025).
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  7. Oregon State University (OSU). 2025. Oregon Flora website. Oregon State University Herbarium at Oregon State University. Online. Available: https://oregonflora.org/ (accessed 2025).
  8. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).