Plectocephalus americanus

Plectocephalus americanus (Nutt.) D.Don (Asteraceae), American basket-flower, is a robust annual herb 60-180 cm tall (formerly classified as Centaurea americana), native to the south-central United States and northeastern Mexico, where it grows in prairies, pastures, roadsides and limestone soils. Stems are stout, erect, glabrous to scabrid and unbranched or sparingly branched above. The lower leaves are oblanceolate, 5-15 cm long, with entire to slightly toothed margins; stem leaves are sessile, lanceolate and reduced upward. Inflorescences are showy solitary terminal heads 6-10 cm across, conspicuously thistle-like but lacking spines; the involucre is hemispheric with phyllaries tipped by pectinate fringed pale-tan appendages giving a basket-weave appearance. Marginal florets are sterile, deeply lobed, pinkish-lavender and notably enlarged, surrounding a dense central tuft of fertile cream- to pink-tinged disc florets. Achenes are oblong, slightly compressed, with a pappus of bristles persistent at maturity. It is a popular native garden subject and pollinator plant.