Rudbeckia californica
Encyclopedia
Rudbeckia californica is a species of flowering plant in the aster family
known by the common name California coneflower. It is native to California
, where it grows in the Sierra Nevada, the Klamath Mountains
, and northern coastal areas. It can be found in moist habitat types, such as mountain meadows and streambanks. It is an erect perennial herb growing from a thick rhizome
, its stem exceeding one meter in maximum height and sometimes approaching two meters. It usually has no branches. Most of the large leaves are basal, with a few alternately arranged along the stem. The leaves can be up to 30 centimeters long and are lance-shaped to oval, smooth-edged or lobed. The inflorescence
is a usually solitary sunflower-like flower head
with a base up to 6 centimeters wide lined with several ray florets, each of which are 2 to 6 centimeters long. The yellow ray florets extend outwards and then become reflexed, pointing back along the stem. The disc florets filling the button-shaped to conical to cylindrical center of the head are greenish yellow. The fruits are achene
s each about half a centimeter long tipped with a pappus
of scales.
One variety of this species, var. intermedia, is now generally treated as a species in its own right named Rudbeckia klamathensis, the Klamath coneflower.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name California coneflower. It is native to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in the Sierra Nevada, the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
, and northern coastal areas. It can be found in moist habitat types, such as mountain meadows and streambanks. It is an erect perennial herb growing from a thick rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
, its stem exceeding one meter in maximum height and sometimes approaching two meters. It usually has no branches. Most of the large leaves are basal, with a few alternately arranged along the stem. The leaves can be up to 30 centimeters long and are lance-shaped to oval, smooth-edged or lobed. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a usually solitary sunflower-like flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
with a base up to 6 centimeters wide lined with several ray florets, each of which are 2 to 6 centimeters long. The yellow ray florets extend outwards and then become reflexed, pointing back along the stem. The disc florets filling the button-shaped to conical to cylindrical center of the head are greenish yellow. The fruits are achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
s each about half a centimeter long tipped with a pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
of scales.
One variety of this species, var. intermedia, is now generally treated as a species in its own right named Rudbeckia klamathensis, the Klamath coneflower.