Black-eyed Susan; Yellow Daisy; Cone Flower 
(Rudbeckia hirta) is a beautiful, large-flowered, tough¬ 
stemmed species that is commonly found in dry fields 
and pastures throughout the East, although it is, by 
nativity, a western species. 
The stem is hairy, rough, very tough and grows from 
1 to 3 feet in height. Single, large flowers are borne 
at the summit of each stem. 
The involucre is composed of two rows of leaf-like 
bracts that spread as the flower opens, the outer ones 
extending almost as widely as the rays. The conical, 
dark purple center is composed of long, tubular florets 
that ripen in successive circles about the cone, making 
a fringe of yellow pollen on its surface. The orange- 
yellow rays are neutral, with neither stamens nor pistils. 
The leaves, scattered alternately along the stem, are 
stiff and hairy. The upper ones are lanceolate and 
seated on the stem, the lower ones are broader towards 
the tip, rather spatulate-shaped. 
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