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Sonoran brickellbush
Scientific Name: Brickellia simplex
Family: Asteraceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Subshrub, Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Brickellia simplex: Sonoran Brickellbush
Brickellia simplex, commonly known as Sonoran brickellbush, is a North American species of flowering plant belonging to the daisy family (Asteraceae).
Considerations for Pets
- Brickellbushes possess chemical defenses.
- The plant produces small heads of composite flowers, potentially posing a minor choking hazard if ingested.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Brickellia simplex A. Gray
- Common Name: Sonoran brickellbush
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Taxonomic Rank: Species
- Family: Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
- Synonym: Sonoran Brickell-Bush (English vernacular)
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to northern Mexico, specifically Chihuahua and Sonora.
- Also found in southeastern New Mexico and Arizona.
- Grows in mountainous habitats.
Morphology and Growth Habit
- Classified as a subshrub, forb/herb.
- Perennial plant (lives for more than two years).
- Grows to be 40-60 cm tall.
- Leaves are alternate, simple, triangular, cordate, and toothed.
- Flowers are whitish or white.
- Small heads of composite flowers panicled at the ends of branches.
- No ray flowers; disc flowers barely protrude above the purplish phyllaries.
Ecological Role
- Brickellbushes, despite their chemical defenses, serve as a food source for the caterpillars of certain Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths).
Quirky Facts
- The name "Sonora" comes from the Spanish word meaning "sonorous."
Further Information
- Dave's Garden: A community website where gardeners share tips and ideas.
- Flora of North America (vol. 21)
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: Defines the Sonoran Desert Region.