black-eyed Susan

black-eyed Susan or yellow daisy, North American daisylike wildflower ( Rudbeckia hirta ) of the family Asteraceae (aster family) with yellow rays and a dark brown center. It is a weedy biennial or annual and grows in dry places. The black-eyed Susan and the other rudbeckias are also called yellow coneflowers. The most widely cultivated is the golden glow ( R. laciniata hortensia ), a tall double-blossomed perennial. Black-eyed Susans are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Asterales, family Asteraceae.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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