Ericameria brachylepis

Plants 10–200 cm. Stems erect to spreading, green when young, fastigiately branched, glabrous, gland-dotted (in pits), resinous. Leaves ascending to spreading; blades linear to narrowly elliptic (usually terete to sulcate adaxially), 10–25 × 0.8–1.5 mm, midnerves obscure to evident, apices usually acute, rarely rounded, sometimes mucronate, faces glabrous or sparsely hairy, gland-dotted (in circular, deep pits), resinous; axillary fascicles of 2–10 leaves, shorter than subtending leaves. Heads in racemiform to paniculiform arrays (1–15 × ca. 8 cm). Peduncles 3–20 mm (leafy or bracteate). Involucres turbinate, 4–6 × 2–5 mm. Phyllaries 15–22 in 3–4 series, tan, ovate to elliptic, 2.5–7 × 0.6–1.5 mm, unequal, outer ± herbaceous, mid and inner mostly chartaceous, midnerves darker, strongly raised, uniform in widths, resinous, (margins membranous, ciliate especially distally) apices erect, acute, abaxial faces glabrous. Ray florets usually 0, rarely 1–2; laminae elliptic, 4–6 × 1–1.5 mm. Disc florets 6–16(–22); corollas 5–6.5 mm. Cypselae tan to purple, 3.5–4 mm (7–8 ribbed), densely hairy; pappi off-white to brown, sometimes reddish, 5–6.5 mm. 2n = 36.

Phenology: Flowering late summer–fall.
Habitat: Open rocky slopes, chaparral and desert scrub
Elevation: 400–1500 m

Ariz., Calif., Mexico (Baja California).

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa