Littleleaf Brickellbush

Brickellia microphylla, the littleleaf brickellbush, is a flowering plant species in the family Asteraceae native to western North America.^[2][3]

Distribution and habitat

The plant is widespread across much of the Western United States and Northwestern Mexico. It is found from California and Baja California east to New Mexico and Colorado, and north to Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming.^[4][5]

Brickellia microphylla var. scabra has a more eastern and southern distribution in the species' range, and grades into Brickellia microphylla var. microphylla in southern and central Utah and eastern California.^[3]

Description

Brickellia microphylla is a shrub 30 – −70 centimetres (12 – −28 in) in size.^[3]

It produces many small, pale yellow flower heads pale yellow, often purple-tinged.^[3] They are often clumped together at the ends of branches.^[6] The bloom period is July to October.^[2]

Varieties

Varieties, which can intergrade, include:^[1][6]

• Brickellia microphylla var. microphylla — Littleleaf brickellbush, native to California, Baja California (México), Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.^[7]
• Brickellia microphylla var. scabra A.Gray — Rough brickellbush, native to southeastern California, Baja California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Sonora (México), Utah, and Wyoming.^[8]
• Brickellia microphylla var. watsonii — Watson's brickellbush, native to southeastern California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah.^[9]

References