Gaillardia aristata
Encyclopedia
Gaillardia aristata is a species of flowering plant in the sunflower family
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...

 known by the common names common blanketflower and common gaillardia.

This wildflower is native to much of northern and western North America, where it grows in many habitats. It is also a widely cultivated garden flower. This is a perennial herb reaching maximum heights of anywhere between 20 and 70 centimeters. It has lance-shaped leaves near the base and several erect, naked stems holding the flowers. Each flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....

 has a center of brownish or reddish purple disc florets and a fringe of ray florets which are about one to three centimeters long and yellow to reddish with dark bases. The fruit is a stout, hairy achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...

 which may be over a centimeter long including the long, spiky pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...

.

Some Plateau Indian tribes used blanketflower to treat wounds and settle fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...

s.

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