Description
This perennial plant is 3-5' tall, branching sparingly to occasionally. It has greenish stems that are angular and winged. The alternate leaves are up to 5" long and 1½" across; they are lanceolate-oblong to elliptic-oblong in shape and slightly serrated along their margins. The leaves are either sessile or their bases clasp the stems. Upper stems terminate in flowerheads spanning about 1½-2" across; they are usually produced in abundance. Each flowerhead has a slightly flattened to globoid head of yellow disk florets that is surrounded by yellow ray florets. The petaloid rays of the latter florets are narrowly triangular in shape (broader at their tips than at their bases). The tips of these unusual rays are doubly notched, creating an interesting effect. The tubular corollas of the tiny disk florets are less than 1/8" across. The blooming period occurs during the autumn for 1-2 months. Afterwards, the florets are replaced by achenes that lack tufts of hair; they are distributed in part by water. The root system is shallow and fibrous. Cultivation
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Hilty, J. Editor. 2012. Illinois Wildflowers. World Wide Web electronic publication. flowervisitors.info, version 08/2012.
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