Asteraceae

Rudbeckia occidentalis

Western Coneflower

Stems tall, erect, branchless or with few branches. Leaves 4–12 in. long, widely oval, with short rough hairs on both sides or just the underside. Leafless stalks hold 1 or more dark purple-brown disk cones about 1 in. high, no ray flowers. The cones become twice as tall and black when in seed. A noticeable plant growing in wet meadows, seeps, along streams, at pond edges, at mid elevations.

• Rarity: Locally Common
• Flowering Time: Late Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 24--80 inches
• Habitat: Vernal Wet, Meadow, Bog/Fen/Wetland
• Found In: Crater Lake Np, Wallowas, Steens
• Native: Yes