Helenium autumnale.commons.wikimedia.org (Accessed 4/2014).

Helenium autumnale is a perennial herb, 50-150 cm tall, roots fibrous. 

Leaves alternate, almost stalkless, blade 4-15 cm long, 0.5-4 cm wide, narrowly elliptic, pointed at both ends, base extending along stem as wings, lower leaves deciduous 

Flowers yellow, rays 13-21, 1.5-2.5 cm long, wedge-shaped, tips 3-lobed, disk yellow, 0.8-2 cm wide, domed, heads mostly solitary on leafy inflorescence branch tips, basal bracts in 2-3 rows, green; blooms and fruits Aug.-Oct. 

Fruit dry, 1-seeded achene, crowned by small scales. 

Wetland status: FACW+. 

Frequency in NYC: Very infrequent. 

Origin: Native. 

Habitat: Rich, moist thickets, shores, soil pH 4.0-7.5 (USDA, NRCS 2007). 

Notes: May be toxic (Kingsbury 1964).