Prairie Cone Flower – Ratibida columnifera

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/902191Prairie Coneflower – Ratibida columnifera – by Jean Krueger, watercolor, copyrighted with all rights reserved, 2018 .

These prairie cone flowers are easing their way into autumn, missing a few of their  4-12 petals, a little bent at the stems with leaves starting to turn ruddy. The cones are typically longer than the petals.  They like it dry and hot and they self-seed. The leaves and stems are said to be analgesic, good for head and bellyaches. Decoctions are used to treat poison ivy and rattlesnake bites. Handy, eh?

I found these growing in Westcliffe, CO.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/902191