More Hymenoxys photographs

Hymenoxys hoopesii.  Synonyms: Dugaldia hoopesii, Helenium hoopesii. (Orange Sneezeweed)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows. Summer, fall.
Above: Navajo Lake Trail, August 6, 2014.
Left: Lower Calico Trail, June 16, 2004.

From early to late summer, showy Hymenoxys hoopesii plants are common, sometimes scattered in open woods, sometimes abundant in moist meadows from middle to high elevations. They are always a pleasant sunny face to see along the trail, and are easily recognized by their mound of disk flowers; drooping, narrow, openly-spaced yellow/orange ray flower rays; and deeply veined, almost white rib in the leaf.

Asa Gray named this species Helenium hoopesii in 1864, Per Axel Rydberg renamed it Dugaldia hoopesii in 1900, and in 1994 Bierner placed the species in the genus Hymenoxys, the genus now accepted by BONAP and the Flora of North America. Seeds of this plant were first collected for science by Thomas Hoopes in Colorado in 1858. The seeds were grown out by Hoopes' brother-in-law and the plants were sent to Asa Gray who recognized them as a new species which Gray named for Hoopes.

The genus name, "Hymenoxys", is from the Greek for "membrane" and "sharp", alluding to the sharp pappus scales. Alexandre Cassini, naturalist and Asteraceae aficionado, named the Hymenoxys genus in 1828. 

The genus name, Dugaldia, honors Dugald Stewart (1753–1828) Scottish philosopher. (Click for more biographical information about Dugald Stewart.)

Thomas Hoopes, 1834-1925, was a prospector, explorer, and seed collector in Colorado for a few years when he was in his twenties until he returned to his Chester, Pennsylvania farming and a very successful wheelwright business. (Click for more biographical information about Thomas Hoopes.)

Hymenoxys hoopesii.  Synonyms: Dugaldia hoopesii, Helenium hoopesii. (Orange Sneezeweed)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows. Summer, fall.
Lower Calico Trail, June 16, 2004.

Hymenoxys hoopesii leaves are three-to-six inches long, with almost parallel veins and a wide, almost white central vein.

Hymenoxys hoopesii.  Synonyms: Dugaldia hoopesii, Helenium hoopesii. (Orange Sneezeweed)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows. Summer, fall.
Horse Creek Trail, June 6, 2004.
Grand Mesa, July 11, 2017.

Look at all four flowerheads in the top photograph at left and notice the variation in color and length of the ray flowers. This variation is due to the age of the flowerhead. The largest flowerhead is mature and the one just below it is the youngest of the four. The variation in size and color is not only typical of Hymenoxys hoopesii flowerheads but also of many other Asteraceae flowerheads.

Flower color can also vary with location. The second photograph at left was taken on Grand Mesa, about 100 miles north of the location that most other photographs on this page were taken. Grand Mesa Hymenoxys hoopesii often have deeper orange to red disc flowers and more orange tinted ray flower rays.

Hymenoxys hoopesii.  Synonyms: Dugaldia hoopesii, Helenium hoopesii. (Orange Sneezeweed)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows. Summer, fall.
Navajo Lake Trail, July 6, 2004.

Hymenoxys hoopesii.  Synonyms: Dugaldia hoopesii, Helenium hoopesii. (Orange Sneezeweed)
Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

Montane, subalpine, alpine. Meadows. Summer, fall.
Colorado Trail above Roaring Fork, September 23, 2008.

Fall brings its own beauty of drooping ray flowers.

More Hymenoxys photographs.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Hymenoxys hoopesii