About Croptilon divaricatum (Nutt.) Raf.
Croptilon divaricatum, commonly known as slender scratchdaisy, is a North American flowering plant species belonging to the tribe Astereae of the family Asteraceae. It is native to the southeastern and south-central United States, specifically found in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and the Carolinas. This species is an annual or perennial herb that sometimes grows up to 150 cm (5 feet) tall, and forms a large taproot. Each individual plant produces one or more yellow flower heads. Each flower head holds up to 30 ray florets and up to 100 disc florets. C. divaricatum occurs across the U.S. Gulf States, growing in areas with sandy soil. Its natural habitats include longleaf pine-wiregrass savannahs, turkey oak sand ridges, edges of hillside bogs, and edges of hardwood swamps, and it requires high light conditions. This species can also grow in human-disturbed areas, including fallow fields, roadsides, and orange groves.
