Sunday 28 September 2008

Rudbeckia



I love Rudbeckia. They are one of four genera in the Asteraceae family that are known as coneflowers. The flowers are produced in daisy-like inflorescences, with yellow or orange florets arranged in a prominent, cone-shaped head; "cone-shaped" because the ray florets tend to point out and down (are decumbent) as the flower head opens. Rudbeckia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Cabbage Moth and Dot Moth both of which have been found in my garden. I think this Rudbeckia is the species R. hirta also known as Black-eyed Susan.

2 comments:

  1. I'm confused... I thought Rudbeckia goldsturm was the one known as black-eyed susan, but both seem to have the same common name when I google them.

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  2. Black-eyed Susan is the usual common name of a number of garden flowers:
    Rudbeckia hirta, a member of the sunflower tribe of the large family Asteraceae
    A number of other members of the genus Rudbeckia including R. fulgida var. sullivantii Goldsturm and R. missouriensis
    Hibiscus trionum in the family Malvaceae
    Thunbergia alata, in the family Acanthaceae
    Some members of the Australian plant genus Tetratheca (Tremandraceae)

    I guess that's why we have scientific names>

    ('Black-eyed Susan' is also a song by John Gay (1685 - 1732), a song by the Triffids, the name of an Australian band, the name of a jazz quartet from Baltimore, a Morrissey song, a Paul Westerberg song, the name of a play, and the name of a cocktail which is the official drink of the Preakness stakes horse race. It consists of 2 parts Bourbon whiskey, 1 part citrus vodka, 3 parts sweet & sour mix, one part orange juice and garnished with orange and a cocktail cherry. )

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Comments are always welcome.