hairy leafcup, Smallanthus uvedalius

The flower heads of hairy, largeleaf, or yellow-flower leafcup, or bear's-paw or bear's-foot are about an inch and a half across. They appear on bushy herbaceous plants up to ten feet tall. One of those with its foot-long leaves and a hundred or more blooms is quite a sight. The Cherokee and Iroquois used this plant to treat a variety of ailments, most often wounds and bruises. The Iroquois used it as a rub to induce dreamless sleep. Hairy leafcup grows in open areas or partial shade in AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI(T), MO, MS, NC, NJ(E), NY(E), OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV. Bell Co KY, 7/15/15. Aster family, Asteraceae.