Cusick's sunflower is a prostrate to erect perennial with many stems from 20-120 cm tall. The herbage ranges from rough to rough-hairy or even mostly smooth. The leaves are entire, perhaps somewhat wavy-margined, and linear to lanceolate in shape. Three nerves are typically found on the blades. Individual leaves range from 3-12 cm long and from 2-15 mm wide. Most of the leaves are alternate on the uper stems but may be opposite toward the base of the stems.
The flower heads are radiate, large, and yellow (both rays and disk). The rays typically number from 8 to 13, but more(up to 21) may be present. The disk ranges from 12-25 mm wide while the rays range from 2-3.5 cm long. The involucral bracts are loose in arrangement, lance-linear in shape and covered with spreading hairs as seen in the photo below.
Cusick's sunflower may be found in dry, open habitats from the lowlands and foothills.
Cusick's sunflower may be found east of the Cascade Mountains from Ellensburg,WA east to southwestern Idaho and south through eastern Oregon into northeastern California.
In the Columbia River Gorge, Cusick's sunflower may be found on grassy slopes and benches east of Rock Creek.
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