Angiosperms: Dicotyledons

Asteraceae
Daisy Family

• Stem: perennial; 2’ to 3’ tall; unbranched but several stems often emerging from a single root crown; fine or stiff hairs.
• Leaves: alternate; oval with tapered bases and pointed tips; lower leaves with a long leaf stalk (blade 6” to 8” by 3”), upper leaves smaller and sessile to clasping; margin of uneven teeth about 1/16” to 1/8” long, approximately eight per inch; with few stiff hairs above, smooth below.
• Inflorescence: highly branched flower stalks from the stem tip and upper leaf axils; corymbiform.
• Heads: few (five) short, white ray flowers with notched tip; head 1/4” in diameter; disk flowers white, very hairy; fillaries oval, overlapping, very hairy, 1/8” tall; flowering from late June to late July.
• Fruits: “seeds” (fruits) 3/16” long; plumes 3/8” long; only the outer flowers of the head producing fruits; fruiting begins in mid-July.
• Habitat: infrequent on upland prairies; also found on sandy, bluff, and moist prairies.
• Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Vascular Plants of Iowa