Cup plant

Images

Click on image to view full size

Cup plant ray and disk florets

Cup plant

Cup plant leaves

Cup plant

Cup plant stem

Cup plant inflorescence

Cup plant

Cup plant

Cup plant leaves

Cup plant leaves

Cup plant bracts

Cup plant leaves

Morphology

Stem

Several to many, branching above, strongly 4-sided (square in cross-section), glabrous or sparsely spreading-hairy.

Leaves

Mostly opposite or uppermost rarely alternate, ovate to triangular-ovate to lanceolate, 4 to 16 inches long, 1 to 9 inches wide; bases united around stem, forming cup; tips pointed; margins coarsely-toothed to nearly entire; surfaces rough; stem leaves progressively reduced above; basal leaves absent or withered at flowering.

Inflorescence

Loose, open clusters of numerous heads, terminal; heads 2 to 2.8 inches across, on stalks to nearly sessile; involucre .6 to 1 inch tall; involucral bracts in 2-3 series, elliptic to broadly ovate, .5 to 1 inch long, glabrous; tips pointed; margins minutely-fringed.

Flower

Ray florets 17-35, ligule .6 to 1.6 inch long, yellow; disk .6 to 1 inch across; disk florets 85-200, yellow.

Fruit

Achene, egg-shaped, .3 to .5 inch long, glabrous, with prominent wings, deep narrow notch at tip; pappus absent.

Ecology

Habitat

Low, moist sites, stream banks, roadside ditches, margins of lakes and ponds, open woods, thickets; partial shade; moist soil.

Distribution

East third and scattered in south-central Kansas

Practical Information

Uses

Native Americans inhaled the smoke from the burning plant to alleviate head colds, rheumatism, neuralgia, and pain. The roots were boiled and the liquid taken to induce vomiting and for back and chest pain. Poultice of moistened, dried root was applied to wounds to stem bleeding. The Iroquois placed soot from burned roots on children's cheeks to prevent them from "seeing ghosts".

Additional Notes