Pale purple coneflower

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Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower leaves

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower inflorescence

Pale purple coneflower habit

Pale purple coneflower leaves

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower

Pale purple coneflower

Morphology

Stem

Erect, 1 to several, simple or sometimes branched, coarsely hairy.

Leaves

Alternate, simple, stalked, oblong lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 4-12 inches long, .5 to 1.5 inch wide, taper at both ends, surfaces rough, 3-veined; margins entire; upper leaves sessile, reduced in size.

Inflorescence

Heads, single, terminal, long-stalked.

Flower

Bracts lanceolate to narrowly oblong, overlapping in 3 or 4 series; ray florets pinkish purple to whitish, 1.5 to 3.5 inches long, 1/4 to 1/3 inch wide, strongly drooping; disk florets 5-lobed, about 1/3 inch long, numerous, brownish purple, interspersed among stiff, spiny-tipped, chaffy bracts; pollen grains white.

Fruit

Achenes, small, 4-sided, glabrous, tipped with toothed crown, enclosing small seed.

Ecology

Habitat

Dry, open rocky sites.

Distribution

East 1/3 of Kansas.

Practical Information

Uses

Native Americans used the leaves to treat rheumatism, mumps, and measles and the roots to treat burns and toothaches. The root was also chewed as a cold remedy and to increase saliva flow to prevent thirst. A tea made from powdered roots and leaves was drunk to treat sore gums and sore throats.