According to the Nature Serve Explorer the Helianthus paradoxus also known as the puzzle flower is a plant usually found in widely separated locations in central and southern New Mexico, and in nearby Trans-Pecos, Texas.
The plant was first collected along what would now be the Rio San Jose on the Laguna Indian Reservation in 1853, and still exists in the vicinity today. Most of the historical sites in Texas, including one from the mid-1800s, have not been relocated due to poor locality data or lack of access to private land. Correll and Johnson (1979) reported that this species was "very likely extinct" in Texas, however, when the species was given federal category status, several surveys turned up new populations.
The Puzzle Sunflower has narrow habitat requirements, only occurring in highly saline wetlands within deserts. These wetlands are continuously threatened by habitat degradation, groundwater withdrawal, competition from non-native species, grazing, and gas exploration.Helianthus paradoxus was proposed threatened on April 1, 1998 and listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act on October 20, 1999.According to NatureServe Explorer the degree of threat is very high.
Ways to save to save puzzle flower is to not use herbicides in the area.