Elephant's FootElephantopus carolinianus
This plant is listed as endangered in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
From Nearctica
Identification: Flowers pink to lavender, consisting of elongate florets. Flowers arranged in two or more compact heads contained within two or three leaf-like bracts. Stem hairy, usually highly branched. Leaves broad (particularly lower leaves) with weakly toothed outer margins. Plant 1 to 3 feet in height. Corolla lilac to whitish, irregularly 5-lobed. Corolla tube 5mm long, glabrous. Lobes to 5mm long, linear, glabrous. Stamens 5.
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Distribution: New Jersey and Pennsylvania, southward to Florida, and westward to Illinois, Kansas, and Texas.
Habitat: Carolina Elephant's Foot is found in dry woods and along paths.
Flowering period: August to September.
Similar Species: The lavender flowers in compact heads contained within 2 to 3 leaflike bracts are distinctive features of this species.