Rudbeckia L.

	Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer': stem

coneflower

Rudbeckia purpurea L.¹ and R. amplexicaulis Vahl are now called Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench. and Dracopis amplexicaulis (Vahl) Cass., respectively, but may still be referred to as Rudbeckia in the trade.

coneflower, black-eyed-susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Mexican hat, gloriosa-daisy

Most commonly cultivated

Rudbeckia hirta L.

Other species

R. fulgida Ait.

R. laciniata L.

R. nitida Nutt.

R. occidentalis Nutt.

R. triloba L.

Popular cultivars are R. hirta 'Indian Summer', R. hirta 'Irish Eyes', and R. laciniata 'Herbstonne'

R. purpurea is covered in the Echinacea fact sheet; see below regarding Dracopis.

North America.

Alternate, simple, entire to slightly toothed leaves, sessile or tapering to a sessile base; flowers (florets) in radiate heads to ca. 8-15 cm across, usually solitary; head subtended by involucre of oblong-linear, subequal, non-imbricate phyllaries in 2+ series; receptacle sharply conical, bearing broad, ciliate scales shorter than or as long as disc florets; central disc raised, often hemispherical; disc florets narrowly tubular with recurved lobes; ray florets not subtended by scales; pappus a short crown or absent.

Cut stems (including leaves and phyllaries) usually hairy, sometimes hairless; upper stem leaves usually unlobed but sometimes deeply lobed; heads single, sometimes semi double, less often fully double (double Rudbeckias may be called yellow dahlias by florists); ray florets yellow to red-brown, flat to recurved; disc florets green, brown, or black.

Echinacea, which differs in having usually purple ray florets, and receptacle scales longer than the disc floret.

Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.