2-8-2015 LAGUNA DE GALLOCANTA - COMMON SUNFLOWER (Helianthus annuus)

The common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a species of large annual forb of the genus Helianthus. It is commonly grown as a crop for its edible oily seeds. Apart from cooking oil production, it is also used as livestock forage (as a meal or a silage plant), as bird food, in some industrial applications, and as an ornamental in domestic gardens. Wild H. annuus is a widely branched annual plant with many flower heads. The domestic sunflower, however, often possesses only a single large inflorescence (flower head) atop an unbranched stem.

Helianthus annuus (common sunflower) belong to the dicotyledonous category, distinguishing them from monocots. As dicots, sunflowers possess embryos with two veins, known as cotyledons, a characteristic feature that sets them apart. The veins in their leaves exhibit a net-like pattern, in contrast to monocots, which typically display parallel leaf veins.