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Encelia farinosa
Species of flowering plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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.
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Description
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
The leaves contain 3-Acetyl-6-methoxybenzaldehyde.[5]
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Taxonomy
Varieties
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
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.
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Distribution and habitat
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
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]
- 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]
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References
External links
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