Changes

From Gardenology.org - Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
3,290 bytes added ,  09:47, 5 April 2007
no edit summary
{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Rudbeckia hirta''
| image = Black eyed susan 20040717 110754 2.1474.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Rudbeckia hirta'' flowerhead
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Asterales]]
| familia = [[Asteraceae]]
| genus = ''[[Rudbeckia]]''
| species = '''''R. hirta'''''
| binomial = ''Rudbeckia hirta''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}

'''''Rudbeckia hirta''''' ('''Black-eyed Susan''', '''Blackiehead''', '''Brown Betty''', '''Brown Daisy''', '''Brown-eyed Susan''', '''Gloriosa Daisy''', '''Golden Jerusalem''', '''Nigger Daisy''', '''Poorland Daisy''', '''Yellow Daisy''', '''Yellow Ox-eye Daisy''') is a [[flowering plant]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Asteraceae]]. It is an upright [[annual plant|annual]] (sometimes [[biennial plant|biennial]] or [[perennial plant|perennial]]) native to most of [[North America]], and is one of a number of plants with the common name [[Black-eyed Susan]] that also has purple on the side.

The plant can reach a height of 1-2 m. It has alternate, mostly basal [[leaf|leaves]] 20-75 cm long, covered by coarse hair. It flowers from June to August, with [[inflorescence]]s measuring 10-15 cm in diameter (up to 30 cm in some [[cultivar]]s), with yellow ray florets circling a brown, domed center of disc florets.

There are four [[variety (biology)|varieties]]:
*''Rudbeckia hirta'' var. ''angustifolia''. Southeastern United States (South Carolina to Texas).
*''Rudbeckia hirta'' var. ''floridana''. Florida, endemic.
*''Rudbeckia hirta'' var. ''hirta''. Northeastern United States (Maine to Alabama).
*''Rudbeckia hirta'' var. ''pulcherrima''. Widespread in most of North America (Newfoundland to British Columbia, south to Alabama and New Mexico; naturalized Washington to California).

===Symbolism and uses===
Black-eyed Susan was designated the state Floral Emblem of [[Maryland]] in [[1918]].

Numerous [[cultivar]]s have been selected for [[garden]] planting; some popular ones include 'Double Gold', 'Indian Summer', and 'Marmalade'.

The roots of ''Rudbeckia hirta'' have been used in a warm infusion to wash on sores and snake bites, and to make medicinal drinks for treating colds and worms in children. Ooze from the roots had been used as drops for earaches.

<gallery>
Image:Rudbeckiahirta1web.jpg|[[Inflorescence]] and [[involucral bract]]s
Image:Rudbeckia hirta Indian summer.JPG|''Rudbeckia hirta'' 'Indian summer'
Image:Rudbeckia hirta Indian Summer.JPG|''Rudbeckia hirta'' 'Indian summer'
Image:DSCF0790.JPG|''Rudbeckia hirta'' in southern Maine.
</gallery>

==References==
*[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?32495 Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Rudbeckia hirta'']
*[http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RUHI2 USDA Plant Profile: ''Rudbeckia hirta'']
*[http://www.cirrusimage.com/flower_black-eyed_susan.htm ''Rudbeckia hirta''] Large format diagnostic photographs
*[http://lakecounty.typepad.com/life_in_lake_county/2007/03/a_tale_of_two_s.html ''A Tale of Two Susans''] non-scholarly essay on the etymology and history

[[Category:Asteraceae]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]

Navigation menu