Brittlebush grows up to 30 to 150 centimetres (12 to 59 inches) tall,[1] with fragrant leaves 3–10 cm (1+1⁄4–4 in) long, ovate to deltoid, and silvery tomentose.[2] Arranged in loose panicles above the leafy stems, the capitula are 3–3.5 cm (1+1⁄4–1+1⁄2 in) in diameter. Each has 8–18 orange-yellow ray florets, 6–15 millimetres (1⁄4–9⁄16 in) in length,[2] and yellow or purple-brown disc florets. The fruit measures 3–6 mm (1⁄8–1⁄4 in) and no pappus is visible.[3] During dry seasons the plant goes drought deciduous, shedding all of its foliage, relying on the water stored in its thick stems.[4]
Encelia farinosa var. farinosa – yellow disc florets
Encelia farinosa var. phenicodonta (Blake) I.M.Johnston – purple-brown disc florets
Varieties formerly included E. f. var. radians, now regarded as a separate species E. radians Brandegee.[6]
Etymologyedit
The common name "brittlebush" comes from the brittleness of its stems. Other names include hierba del vaso (Spanish) and cotx (Seri).[7] Another Spanish name for it is incienso because the dried sap was burned by early Spanish missions in the New World as incense.
It can be found in a variety of habitats from dry, gravelly slopes to open, sandy washes[2] up to 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) above sea level. It requires a very sunny position in a deep very well-drained soil, and minimal winter frost.[4]
It does well in cultivation often being used for border, erosion control, ground cover and massing.[10] Recently the plant has spread dramatically in areas not natural to its distribution in large part because Caltrans has begun to use it in hydroseeding.[citation needed]
Usesedit
Brittlebush has a long history of uses by indigenous and pioneer peoples, including:
Glue: The resin collected from the base of the plant, yellowish to brown, can be heated and used as a glue. The O'odham and Seri use it for hafting, to hold points on arrows and harpoons.[7]
Sealer: A different sort of resin collected from the upper stems is more gummy and generally a clear yellow. The Seri use this to seal pottery vessels.[7]
Incense: Early Spanish friars learned that the resin made a highly fragrant incense, akin to frankincense in odor.[11]
Toothbrush: Oldtime cowboys used brittlebush stem as a fine toothbrush.[12]
Medicinal: Seri use brittlebush to treat toothache; the bark is removed, the branch heated in ashes, and then placed in the mouth to "harden" a loose tooth.[7] The Cahuilla used brittlebush to treat toothaches as well,[13] and used it as a chest pain reliever by heating the gum and applying it to the chest.[13][14]
Waterproofing: It has been used to waterproof containers.[10]
Varnish: It has been melted then used as a varnish.[10]
Referencesedit
^Hogan, C. Michael (ed.) "Brittlebush – Encelia farinosa" at the Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
^ abcdSpellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev ed.). Knopf. pp. 369–370. ISBN978-0-375-40233-3.
^ abc"Encelia farinosa in Flora of North America". Efloras.org. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^ abGacsi/Morgan, April/Steve (January 1992). Deserts of the Southwest Self Guided Tour. Riverside, California: University of California, Riverside Botanic Gardens. p. 10.
^Gray, Reed; Bonner, James (19 March 1948). "Structure Determination and Synthesis of a Plant Growth Inhibitor, 3-Acetyl-6-methoxybenzaldehyde, Found in the Leaves of Encelia Farinosa". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 70 (3): 1249–1253. doi:10.1021/ja01183a114. PMID 18909201.
^Bohm, Bruce A. (2009). The Geography of Phytochemical Races. Dordrecht: Springer. p. 112. ISBN9781402090523.
^ abcdFelger, Richard Stephen; Moser, Mary Beck (1985). People of the Desert and Sea: Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians (2. print. ed.). Tucson, Ariz.: University of Arizona Press. ISBN0816508186.
^"Photographic image of distribution map" (PNG). Bonap.net. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^"Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map". Bonap.net. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^Dunmire, William W. (2004). Gardens of New Spain: How Mediterranean Plants and Foods Changed America. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN978-0-292-70564-7.
^ abSoule, Jacqueline A. (2012). Father Kinos's Herbs: Growing & Using Them Today. Tucson: Tierra del Sol Institute Press. ISBN978-0-9758554-2-3.
^ ab. Enduring Knowledge Publications. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
^James, Harry (1985). Temalpakh: Cahuilla Indian Knowledge and Usage of Plants. Malki Museum Press. ISBN978-0-9390-4606-5.
External linksedit
Media related to Encelia farinosa at Wikimedia Commons
UC Jepson Manual treatment for Encelia farinosa
Encelia farinosa – U.C. CalPhotos Gallery
January 01, 1970
encelia, farinosa, commonly, known, brittlebush, brittlebrush, incienso, common, desert, shrub, southwestern, united, states, northern, mexico, variety, historical, uses, brittlebush, near, palm, springs, california, scientific, classification, kingdom, planta. Encelia farinosa commonly known as brittlebush brittlebrush or incienso is a common desert shrub of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico It has a variety of historical uses Brittlebush Near Palm Springs California Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Asterids Order Asterales Family Asteraceae Genus Encelia Species E farinosa Binomial name Encelia farinosaTorr amp A Gray Contents 1 Description 1 1 Chemistry 2 Taxonomy 2 1 Varieties 2 2 Etymology 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Uses 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp Brittlebush flower in Sabino Canyon Tucson Arizona Brittlebush grows up to 30 to 150 centimetres 12 to 59 inches tall 1 with fragrant leaves 3 10 cm 1 1 4 4 in long ovate to deltoid and silvery tomentose 2 Arranged in loose panicles above the leafy stems the capitula are 3 3 5 cm 1 1 4 1 1 2 in in diameter Each has 8 18 orange yellow ray florets 6 15 millimetres 1 4 9 16 in in length 2 and yellow or purple brown disc florets The fruit measures 3 6 mm 1 8 1 4 in and no pappus is visible 3 During dry seasons the plant goes drought deciduous shedding all of its foliage relying on the water stored in its thick stems 4 Encelia californica is similar but has only one flower head per stalk 2 Chemistry edit The leaves contain 3 Acetyl 6 methoxybenzaldehyde 5 Taxonomy editVarieties edit nbsp var phenicodonta Two varieties of E farinosa are recognized by Flora of North America 3 Encelia farinosa var farinosa yellow disc florets Encelia farinosa var phenicodonta Blake I M Johnston purple brown disc florets Varieties formerly included E f var radians now regarded as a separate species E radians Brandegee 6 Etymology edit The common name brittlebush comes from the brittleness of its stems Other names include hierba del vaso Spanish and cotx Seri 7 Another Spanish name for it is incienso because the dried sap was burned by early Spanish missions in the New World as incense Distribution and habitat edit nbsp E farinosa in California s Colorado Desert Encelia farinosa is common in the southwestern United States California Arizona Utah and Nevada and northern Mexico Baja California Baja California Sur Sonora Sinaloa and Hidalgo 3 8 9 It can be found in a variety of habitats from dry gravelly slopes to open sandy washes 2 up to 1 000 metres 3 300 feet above sea level It requires a very sunny position in a deep very well drained soil and minimal winter frost 4 It does well in cultivation often being used for border erosion control ground cover and massing 10 Recently the plant has spread dramatically in areas not natural to its distribution in large part because Caltrans has begun to use it in hydroseeding citation needed Uses editBrittlebush has a long history of uses by indigenous and pioneer peoples including Glue The resin collected from the base of the plant yellowish to brown can be heated and used as a glue The O odham and Seri use it for hafting to hold points on arrows and harpoons 7 Sealer A different sort of resin collected from the upper stems is more gummy and generally a clear yellow The Seri use this to seal pottery vessels 7 Incense Early Spanish friars learned that the resin made a highly fragrant incense akin to frankincense in odor 11 Gum The Sells area Tohono O odham children use upper stem resin as a passable chewing gum 12 Toothbrush Oldtime cowboys used brittlebush stem as a fine toothbrush 12 Medicinal Seri use brittlebush to treat toothache the bark is removed the branch heated in ashes and then placed in the mouth to harden a loose tooth 7 The Cahuilla used brittlebush to treat toothaches as well 13 and used it as a chest pain reliever by heating the gum and applying it to the chest 13 14 Waterproofing It has been used to waterproof containers 10 Varnish It has been melted then used as a varnish 10 References edit Hogan C Michael ed Brittlebush Encelia farinosa at the Encyclopedia of Life Retrieved 1 April 2013 a b c d Spellenberg Richard 2001 1979 National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers Western Region rev ed Knopf pp 369 370 ISBN 978 0 375 40233 3 a b c Encelia farinosa in Flora of North America Efloras org Retrieved 1 April 2022 a b Gacsi Morgan April Steve January 1992 Deserts of the Southwest Self Guided Tour Riverside California University of California Riverside Botanic Gardens p 10 Gray Reed Bonner James 19 March 1948 Structure Determination and Synthesis of a Plant Growth Inhibitor 3 Acetyl 6 methoxybenzaldehyde Found in the Leaves of Encelia Farinosa Journal of the American Chemical Society 70 3 1249 1253 doi 10 1021 ja01183a114 PMID 18909201 Bohm Bruce A 2009 The Geography of Phytochemical Races Dordrecht Springer p 112 ISBN 9781402090523 a b c d Felger Richard Stephen Moser Mary Beck 1985 People of the Desert and Sea Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians 2 print ed Tucson Ariz University of Arizona Press ISBN 0816508186 Photographic image of distribution map PNG Bonap net Retrieved 1 April 2022 Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map Bonap net Retrieved 1 April 2022 a b c Encelia farinosa Brittle Bush Brittlebush Incienso PFAF Plant Database www pfaf org Retrieved 26 January 2019 Dunmire William W 2004 Gardens of New Spain How Mediterranean Plants and Foods Changed America Austin University of Texas Press ISBN 978 0 292 70564 7 a b Soule Jacqueline A 2012 Father Kinos s Herbs Growing amp Using Them Today Tucson Tierra del Sol Institute Press ISBN 978 0 9758554 2 3 a b Plants of the Cahuilla Indians of the Colorado Desert and Surrounding Mountains Enduring Knowledge Publications Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 26 January 2019 James Harry 1985 Temalpakh Cahuilla Indian Knowledge and Usage of Plants Malki Museum Press ISBN 978 0 9390 4606 5 External links edit nbsp Media related to Encelia farinosa at Wikimedia Commons UC Jepson Manual treatment for Encelia farinosa Encelia farinosa U C CalPhotos Gallery Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Encelia farinosa amp oldid 1212576735, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
