Mexican Hat
| Plant Profile | |
|---|---|
| FYUSE 3D Image | Common Name: Mexican Hat |
Examples of Mexican Hat Ratibida columnifera
| Plant Facts | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Native |
| Duration | Perennial |
| Distribution in the U.S. | Great Plains and tallgrass prairie; Montana and North Dakota to Louisiana and New Mexico |
| Distribution in Oklahoma | Across the state; greatest populations in the central half |
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Field Identification Characteristics
Vegetative
- Thin, erect branching plant
- Leaves directly attached to stems; oppositely lobed along midrib
Floral
- Flowers yellow with elevated, cylindrical center
- Flower petals droop below center
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Leaf and Stem Characteristics
- Leaf Type: Simple
- Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
- Leaf Shape: Lobed (Pinnatifid)
- Stipules: Absent
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Floral Characteristics
- Petal Number: 3-11
- Flower Color: Yellow to red; sometimes yellow with a red spot at base of petal
- Flower Timing: June-September
- Fruit Type: Achene
ID Characteristics
| Habitat/Ecology | |
|---|---|
| Soil Type | Clay loam, sometimes sandy soils |
| Habitat | Areas with occasional disturbance (mowed margins of rights-of-way) |
| Successional Stage | Early to mid |