NAME: CUP PLANT    Silphium perfoliatum 
DESCRIPTION:
Leaf:  The leave are a distinguishing part of the plant,broadly triangular to ovate, up to 35cm long and up to 20 cm wide.  Upper leaves are connate-perfoliate, clasping the stem in a manner to form a cup-like area.  The lower leaves have blades which contract into winged petioles.
Flower:  numerous heads composed of both disk and ray flowers, 2.5 to 7.5 cm broad and yellow, with 20 to 30 rays.  Each ray about 2.5 cm long.
Present mid July to early October.
Stem:  Stout, squarish stem attaining a height of  1 to 2 meters.
 
 

DISCUSSION:
A native, warm-season;perennial belonging to the Compositae, or aster family.  It is palatable and nutritious and decreases in prairies when they are grazed.

 
 DISTRIBUTION:
Grows in prairies, woods, and other open areas from central Ontario across to South Dakota, south to Oklahoma and Georgia.
 
 

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COPYRIGHT:

© Copyright 2002, L&T Natural Images and Madsion Jr. High, all rights reserved. Contact information: email at lcwik@naperville203.org or tcoutts@naperville203.org

REFERENCES:

Mohlenbroch, Robert H., and John W. Voigt.  Prairie Pants of Illinois.
Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 1985.

Young, Dick.  Kane County Wild Plants and Natural Areas.  2nd ed. Geneva, Il:
Kane County Illinois Forest Preserve District, 1994.


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