Figure 47.—Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia)

Synonym

Brauneria angustifolia (DC.) Heller.

Other Common Names

Hedgehog-coneflower, pale-purple coneflower, Sampson-root, niggerhead (in Kansas).

Habitat And Range

Echinacea is found in scattered patches in rich prairie soil or sandy soil from Alabama to Texas and northwestward, being most abundant in Kansas and Nebraska.

Description

This herb grows to a height of from 2 to 3 feet, sending up a rather stout, bristly haired stem bearing thick hairy leaves from 3 to 8 inches long. The flowers, which appear from July to October, vary in color from whitish rose to pale purple. The flower heads are ornamental and consist of ray and disk flowers. The brown fruiting heads, which develop after the flowers, are conical, stiff, and chaffy. The plant has a thick, blackish root.

Part Used

The root, collected in autumn.