Brickellia venosa, Veiny Brickellbush, Southwest Desert Flora

Brickellia venosa, Veiny Brickellbush

Veiny Brickellbush has pale yellow, (see photo) often purple tinged floret heads with slender stems. This species blooms from August or September to October. Brickellia venosa

Veiny Brickellbush; The flowering heads are in loose panicle arrays or they may be single heads on tips of lateral branches. The genus Brickellia was published by Stephen Elliott in 1824. Brickellia venosa

Veiny Brickellbush floral heads are surrounded by lanceolate to broadly ovate to orbiculate bracts or phyllaries. The flowering stems are sticky to the touch because the surfaces are gland-dotted. Brickellia venosa

Veiny Brickellbush; Note the Crab Spider (Thomisidae) with prey in the lower center of the photo. This species prefers dry hills, rocky slopes, canyon walls, mesas and limestone outcrops. Plants prefer elevations between 4,500 and 6,000 feet. Brickellia venosa

Veiny Brickellbush is a perennial member of the Aster family that grows up to 2 feet (60 cm) or more. This species has linear to oblong-linear leaves. Each leaf has 3 prominent mid-veins and either dentate or entire margins. Brickellia venosa

Scientific Name: Brickellia venosa
Common Name: Veiny Brickellbush

Also Called:

Family: Asteraceae, Sunflower Family

Synonyms: (Coleosanthus venosus)

Status: Native

Duration: Perennial

Size: Up to 2 feet (61 cm) or more (31 inches - 80 cm).

Growth Form: Forb/herb, subshrub; woody caudices; stems branched, stems covered in dense soft short woolly hairs (tomentose) and gland-dotted.

Leaves: Green; leaves arranged opposite on stem; short stalks or petioles, or without a stalk (sessile); leaves with 3 prominent mid-veins; blades oblong to linear; leaf edges or margins smooth without teeth (entire) or toothed (dentate); leaf surfaces gland-dotted, sticky pubescence.

Flower Color: Pale yellow and often purple tinged; heads on slender flowering stalks (peduncles) in loose panicle arrays or single flowers (solitary), often terminal on lateral branches; peduncles gland-dotted and covered with tiny soft erect hairs (puberulent); disk flowers only; bracts surrounding flower heads greenish and often purple tinged; fruit is a cypsela with a white pappus consisting of 20 or more barbed (barbed) stiff hairs (bristles).

Flowering Season: August or September to October.

Elevation: 4,500 to 6,000 feet (1,370-1,800 m).

Habitat Preferences: Dry hills, rocky slopes, canyon walls, mesas and limestone outcrops.

Recorded Range: Relatively rare in the United States, Veiny Brickellbush is found in Arizona, New Mexico. It can be found in southeast Arizona, southwest New Mexico and El Paso County Texas. It is also native to northwest Mexico.

North America & US County Distribution Map for Brickellia venosa.

North America species range map for Brickellia venosa:
North American range map courtesy of Virginia Tech, Dept. of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation

Click image for full size map

U.S. Weed Information: Unknown
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: Unknown
Wetland Indicator: Unknown
Threatened/Endangered Information: Unknown

Genus Information: In North America there are 36 species and 36 accepted taxa overall for Brickellia. World wide, The Plant List includes 112 accepted species names and includes a further 136 of infraspecific rank for the genus.

The genus Brickellia was published by Stephen Elliott in 1824.

In the Southwestern United States: Arizona has 22 species of Brickellia, California has 13 species, Nevada has 12 species, New Mexico has 19 species, Texas has 15 species, Utah has 7 species. All data is approximate and subject to taxonomic changes.

Comments: There is little information about Veiny Brickellbush, apparently because of its limited distribution in the United States. Although it is abundant in the southwest with most species found in Arizona and New Mexico.

In Southwest Desert Flora also see; Brickellbush, Brickellia californica, Coulter's Brickellbush, Brickellia coulteri and Chihuahuan Brickellbush, Brickellia floribunda.

Importance to Wildlife, Birds and Livestock Tiny wind-borne seeds of Brickellia venosa may possibly be eaten by birds and small mammals.

Special Value to Native Bees, Butterflies and Insects Brickellia venosa flowers may be visited by butterflies, bees and other small insects.

Etymology: The genus Brickellia (Brickel'lia:) is name to honor Dr. John Brickell (1749-1809), an early naturalist and physician of Georgia who came to the United States in 1770 from Ireland. The genus Brickellia was named for him by Stephen Elliott (1771-1830), a professor of botany in Georgia. This Brickell is not to be confused with another John Brickell (1710?-1745) from Ireland who came to the United States around 1729, was coincidentally was also a naturalist and physician.

The genus Brickellia was published by Stephen Elliott in 1824.

The species epithet venosa (veno'sa:) means conspicuously veined, a reference to the character of the leaves.

Ethnobotany Unknown