Hairy Beach Sunflower (Helianthus debilis ssp. vestitus)

Global Rank: T2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Asteraceae
State: FL
Nature Serve ID: 143245
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

Where is Hairy Beach Sunflower (Helianthus debilis ssp. vestitus) located in the wild?

States & Provinces:

Hairy Beach Sunflower can historically be found in Florida

Conservation Actions

Cheryl Peterson

08/30/2024

Helanthus debilis is a species of sunflower native to the gulf and Atlantic coasts of the U.S. There are five recognized subspecies with more limited ranges. One of these is H. debilis subsp. vestitus, the hairy beach sunflower. Hairy beach sunflower is a Florida endemic that is listed as imperiled and found only on the beach dunes of southwest Florida. It is fast disappearing in the wild. In addition to the continuing threats to the dune habitat such as development and erosion, hybridization with cultivars in the nursery trade, widely planted as ornamentals in coastal settings, readily occurs. This cross-pollination can cause the seedlings to be hybrids, effectively wiping out a whole population of hairy beach sunflower. For collection and seed preservation in 2024, the Rare Plant Conservation Program selected a population at Siesta Key threatened by hybridization and beach disturbance. Working closely with land managers at the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, seed heads were collected from 27 maternal parent plants, which was the total number of reproductive adults present in the population. Microscopic examination revealed that many of the seeds were empty or have been damaged by insect predators, and both insects and larvae were located among some of the seeds. James Hayden of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services identified the species as a gelechiid moth in the Isophrictis genus, potentially an undescribed species.

Elizabeth Gandy

06/25/2024

West coast dune sunflower is endemic to the southwest coast of Florida, USA. It is found predominantly in upland coastal communities like beach dunes and coastal grasslands. Plants spread readily by seed and thrive on disturbed soil. The impacts of wind, salt, and moving sand in the coastal environment provide the perfect bare substrate for seedling establishment. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens collected seed from this species for long-term conservation seed banking as part of the Florida Plant Rescue project. This species, as well as the east coast and Panhandle subspecies are available in the horticulture trade and commonly planted, so finding a natural population for seed collection required careful evaluation of the site conditions and history. We were able to identify an area of remnant coastal grassland where this species was persisting on unimproved private parcels and rights of way to make the seed collections. The population turned out to be sizeable, with an estimated 1500 plants. Some were growing prostrate due to mowing while others growing in less accessible spots were more erect. This species can flower and fruit throughout most of the year, but summer and fall are the periods of peak seed production.