''Baccharis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

perennials A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...

and

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true

broom A broom (also known in some forms as a broomstick) is a cleaning tool consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. I ...

s. They are not at all related to these however, but belong to an entirely different lineage of

eudicot The eudicots, Eudicotidae, or eudicotyledons are a clade of flowering plants mainly characterized by having two seed leaves upon germination. The term derives from Dicotyledons. Traditionally they were called tricolpates or non-magnoliid dicot ...

s. '' B. halimifolia'' is commonly known as "groundsel bush", however true groundsels are found in the genus ''

Senecio ''Senecio'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels. Variously circumscribed taxonomically, the genus ''Senecio'' is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. Description Morp ...

''. ''Baccharis'', with over 500 species, is the largest genus in the Asteraceae. It is found throughout the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

, distributed mainly in the warmer regions of

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, with ''B. halimifolia'' ranging northward along the Atlantic Coast to the southern tip of

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. If present, the leaves of ''Baccharis'' are borne along the stems in alternate fashion. Flowers are usually white or pinkish. There are no

ray flower The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae we ...

s, but many disk flowers which are either staminate or pistillate. Some species of ''Baccharis'' are toxic to animals; in particular, consumption of ''B. coridifolia'' may lead to

necrosis Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, or trauma which result in the unregulated dige ...

in the

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organ (biology), organs of the digestive syste ...

of cattle, horses, sheep, and rabbits. The genus ''Baccharis'' is named after Bacchus (Dionysus), the Roman god of wine.

Classification

''Baccharis'' is related to the genera ''

Archibaccharis ''Archibaccharis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. ; Species ''Archibaccharis'' is native to Mexico and Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries ...

'' and ''

Heterothalamus ''Heterothalamus'' is a genus of South American flowering plants in the daisy family. ; Species * '' Heterothalamus alienus'' (Spreng.) Kuntze - Brazil ( Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul), Uruguay, Argentina ( Córdoba, La Rioja La Rioja ...

''. All baccharis are

dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...

except

Baccharis monoica ''Baccharis monoica'' is a species or subspecies of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It is the only non-dioecious species in the genus ''Baccharis'', it is a monoecious species. It can be found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, ...

Ecology

''Baccharis'' are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species, such as the

swift moth The Hepialidae are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order. Moths of this family are often referred to as swift moths or ghost moths. Taxonomy and systematics The Hepialidae constitute by far the most diverse group of the infraorder Exopo ...

s ''

Phymatopus californicus ''Phymatopus californicus'', the lupine ghost moth, is a species of moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1868 and is known from the US state of California. The wingspan is about 40 mm. Rec ...

'' and '' P. hectoides''. Those of the

leaf-miner A leaf miner is any one of numerous species of insects in which the larval stage lives in, and eats, the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths ( Lepidoptera), sawflies ( Symphyta, the mother clade of wasp ...

moths '' Bucculatrix dominatrix'' and '' B. seperabilis'' feed exclusively on bush baccharis (''B. pilularis''), '' B. ivella'' has been found on

eastern baccharis ''Baccharis halimifolia'' is a North American species of shrubs in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Nova Scotia, the eastern and southern United States (from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma), eastern Mexico (Nu ...

, and '' B. variabilis'' is a

polyphagous Feeding is the process by which organisms, typically animals, obtain food. Terminology often uses either the suffixes -vore, -vory, or -vorous from Latin ''vorare'', meaning "to devour", or -phage, -phagy, or -phagous from Greek φαγε ...

species which has been recorded on various ''Baccharis''. The ''

Coleophora ''Coleophora'' is a very large genus of moths of the family Coleophoridae. It contains some 1,350 described species. The genus is represented on all continents, but the majority are found in the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions. Many authors hav ...

'' case-bearers '' C. linosyridella'' and '' C. viscidiflorella'' are polyphagous species whose larvae have been recorded on the Bush Baccharis as well as other plants.

Caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...

s of the

owlet moth The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other f ...

'' Schinia ocularis'' feed exclusively on Broom Baccharis (''B. sarothroides'').

Uses

Several species of ''Baccharis'' are of interest for cultivation, as the dense but flexible stem structure makes for a good

windbreak A windbreak (shelterbelt) is a planting usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion. They are commonly planted in hedgerows around the edges ...

. Plants of this genus are rich in

terpene Terpenes () are a class of natural products consisting of compounds with the formula (C5H8)n for n > 1. Comprising more than 30,000 compounds, these unsaturated hydrocarbons are produced predominantly by plants, particularly conifers. Terpenes ar ...

s, and some are used in native or

folk medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

. One that has been specifically described from Chilean and Argentinean ''Baccharis'' is viscidone. ''Baccharis'' flowers are rich in

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

, and several species are good

honey plant Honeybees usually collect nectar, pollen, or both from the following species of plants, which are called honey plants, for making honey. Acanthaceae (Acanthus family) *'' Avicennia nitida'' Jacq. or Avicennia ger ...

s. Particularly '' B. dracunculifolia'' is highly esteemed by beekeepers.

Conservation

A few ''Baccharis'' species (especially from the northern

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

) are almost

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

due to

habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

. The northernmost occurrence of ''B. halimifolia'', in Nova Scotia, Canada, is also receiving conservation attention.

Invasiveness

Some ''Baccharis'' species, particularly Eastern baccharis (''B. halimifolia''), have become

invasive weed An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

s in places such as Australia and Spain, where they are not native.

Selected species

For the complete list of species see List of Baccharis species. * '' Baccharis acutata'' (Alain) Borhidi * '' Baccharis alaternoides'' Kunth * '' Baccharis albida'' Hook. & Arn. * '' Baccharis × alboffii'' F.H.Hellw. * '' Baccharis albolanosa'' A.S.Oliveira & Deble * '' Baccharis aliena'' (Spreng.) Joch.Müll. * '' Baccharis alleluia'' A.S.Oliveira & Deble * '' Baccharis alnifolia'' Meyen & Walp. * '' Baccharis alpestris'' Gardner * '' Baccharis alpina'' Kunth * '' Baccharis altimontana'' G.Heiden, Baumgratz & R.Esteves * '' Baccharis amambayensis'' Zardini & Soria * '' Baccharis anabelae'' (Deble) G.Heiden * '' Baccharis angusticeps'' Dusén ex Malme * '' Baccharis angustifolia'' Michaux * ''

Baccharis anomala ''Baccharis'' is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are n ...

'' DC. * '' Baccharis antioquensis'' Killip & Cuatrec. * '' Baccharis × antucensis'' F.H.Hellw. * '' Baccharis aphylla'' DC. * '' Baccharis apicifoliosa'' A.A.Schneid. & Boldrini * '' Baccharis aracatubensis'' Malag. & Hatschb. ex G.M.Barroso * '' Baccharis arbutifolia''(Lam.) Vahl * '' Baccharis × arcuata'' F.H.Hellw. * '' Baccharis arenaria'' Baker * '' Baccharis aretioides'' Turcz. * '' Baccharis artemisioides'' Hook. & Arn. * ''

Baccharis articulata ''Baccharis articulata'' is a species of shrub in the family Asteraceae. The species was first described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, but was later reclassified by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon in 1807. The species is used for a variety of medical us ...

'' (Lam.) Pers. * '' Baccharis auriculigera'' Hieron. * '' Baccharis × australis'' F.H.Hellw. * '' Baccharis axillaris'' DC. * '' Baccharis ayacuchensis'' Cuatrec. * '' Baccharis barragensis'' Cuatrec. * '' Baccharis beckii'' Joch.Müll. * '' Baccharis bicolor'' (Joch.Müll.) G.Heiden * ''

Baccharis bifrons ''Baccharis'' is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are n ...

Baker * '' Baccharis bigelovii'' A.Gray * '' Baccharis bogotensis'' Kunth * '' Baccharis boliviensis (Wedd.) Cabrera * '' Baccharis boyacensis'' Cuatrec. * '' Baccharis brachylaenoides'' DC. * '' Baccharis brachyphylla'' A.Gray * '' Baccharis brachystachys'' (Baker) Malag. & J.Vidal * '' Baccharis brevifolia'' DC. * '' Baccharis brevipappa'' (McVaugh) G.L.Nesom * '' Baccharis breviseta'' DC. * ''

Baccharis buchtienii ''Baccharis'' is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are n ...

'' H.Rob. * '' Baccharis burchellii'' Baker * '' Baccharis buxifolia'' Pers. * '' Baccharis cabrerae'' Ariza * '' Baccharis caespitosa'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. * '' Baccharis concava'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. * ''

Baccharis dioica ''Baccharis dioica'' is a North American species of shrubs in the family Asteraceae known by the common name broombush falsewillow. It is native to Florida, the Yucatán Peninsula, and the West Indies (Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Virgin Islands, M ...

'' * '' Baccharis douglasii'' DC. – Saltmarsh baccharis, Douglas' baccharis * '' Baccharis dracunculifolia'' DC. * '' Baccharis eggersii'' Hieron. * '' Baccharis emoryi'' A.Gray * ''

Baccharis fusca ''Baccharis fusca'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae that is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat destruction Habitat destruction (als ...

'' Turcz. * '' Baccharis genistelloides'' Pers. * '' Baccharis glomeruliflora'' * '' Baccharis glutinosa'' * '' Baccharis gracilis'' DC. * ''

Baccharis halimifolia ''Baccharis halimifolia'' is a North American species of shrubs in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Nova Scotia, the eastern and southern United States (from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma), eastern Mexico (Nu ...

'' L. –

Eastern baccharis ''Baccharis halimifolia'' is a North American species of shrubs in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Nova Scotia, the eastern and southern United States (from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma), eastern Mexico (Nu ...

, groundsel bush, groundsel tree, consumption weed, cotton-seed tree, silverling * '' Baccharis hambatensis'' Kunth * '' Baccharis havardii'' * '' Baccharis hieronymi'' Heering * ''

Baccharis huairacajensis ''Baccharis huairacajensis'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. References

Baccharis ...

'' Hieron. * '' Baccharis humilis'' Sch.Bip. ex Baker * '' Baccharis intermedia'' DC. * '' Baccharis intermixta'' Gardner * '' Baccharis juncea'' (Lehm.) Desf. * ''

Baccharis klattii ''Baccharis klattii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae that is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. It is threaten ...

'' Benoist * '' Baccharis ligustrina'' DC. * '' Baccharis linearis'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. – Chilean romerillo * '' Baccharis macraei'' Hook. & Arn. * '' Baccharis malibuensis'' R.M.Beauch. & J.Henrickson * '' Baccharis microdonta'' DC. * ''

Baccharis myrsinites ''Baccharis'' is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are ...

'' * '' Baccharis neglecta'' * ''

Baccharis odorata ''Baccharis'' is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are n ...

'' – Tayanka bush * '' Baccharis patagonica'' * ''

Baccharis pilularis ''Baccharis pilularis'', called coyote brush (or bush), chaparral broom, and bush baccharis, is a shrub in the family Asteraceae native to California, Oregon, Washington, and Baja California. There are reports of isolated populations in New Mex ...

'' DC. – Bush baccharis, coyote brush, coyote bush, chaparral broom * '' Baccharis platypoda'' DC. * ''

Baccharis plummerae ''Baccharis plummerae'' is a California species of ''Baccharis'' known by the common name Plummer's baccharis. It is named in honor of American botanist Sara Plummer Lemmon, 1836 – 1923. Distribution The plant is endemic to chaparral habitats ...

'' A.Gray * '' Baccharis pteronioides'' * '' Baccharis punctulata'' DC. * '' Baccharis racemosa'' (Ruiz & Pav.) DC. * ''

Baccharis rhomboidalis ''Baccharis'' is a genus of perennial plant, perennials and shrubs in the Asteraceae, aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling ...

'' Remy * '' Baccharis sagittalis'' * ''

Baccharis salicifolia ''Baccharis salicifolia'' is a blooming shrub native to the sage scrub community and desert southwest of the United States and northern Mexico, as well as parts of South America. Its usual common name is mule fat;Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam M ...

'' (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. – Mulefat, seep-willow, water-wally * '' Baccharis salicina'' * ''

Baccharis sarothroides ''Baccharis sarothroides'' is a North American species of flowering shrub known by the common names broom baccharis, desertbroom, greasewood, rosin-bush and groundsel in English and "escoba amarga" or "romerillo" in Spanish. This is a spreading ...

'' A.Gray – Broom baccharis, Desert broom * '' Baccharis semiserrata'' DC. * ''

Baccharis sergiloides ''Baccharis sergiloides'' is a species of ''Baccharis'' known by the common name desert baccharis.Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam MacKay, 2nd ed., 2013, Distribution The plant is native to the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico, ...

'' A.Gray –

Desert baccharis ''Baccharis sergiloides'' is a species of ''Baccharis'' known by the common name desert baccharis.Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam MacKay, 2nd ed., 2013, Distribution The plant is native to the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico, ...

* '' Baccharis serrula'' Sch.Bip. * ''

Baccharis sessifolia ''Baccharis'' is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are n ...

'' L. * '' Baccharis sphaerocephala'' * '' Baccharis spicata'' (Lam.) Baill. * '' Baccharis texana'' * '' Baccharis thesioides'' * ''

Baccharis tricuneata ''Baccharis'' is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are n ...

'' (L.f.) Pers. * '' Baccharis tridentata'' Vahl * '' Baccharis trimera'' (Less.) DC. * '' Baccharis uncinella'' DC. * '' Baccharis vanessae'' R.M.Beauch. * '' Baccharis wrightii'' – Wright's false willow * '' Baccharis wurdackeana'' Malag. * '' Baccharis xiphophylla'' Baker * '' Baccharis zamoranensis'' Rzed. * '' Baccharis zamudiorum'' Rzed. * '' Baccharis zoellneri'' F.H.Hellw. * '' Baccharis zongoensis'' Joch.Müll. * ''

Baccharis zumbadorensis ''Baccharis'' is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family (Asteraceae). They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are n ...

'' V.M.Badillo

Formerly placed in ''Baccharis''

The following species are among the many that were considered to belong within ''Baccharis'' but are now classified in other genera: * '' Isocoma veneta'' (Kunth) Greene (as ''B. veneta'' Kunth) * '' Pluchea foetida'' (L.) DC. (as ''B. foetida'' L.) * ''

Pluchea indica ''Pluchea indica'' is a species of flowering plant in the aster Family (biology), family, Asteraceae. Its common names include Indian camphorweed, Indian fleabane, and Indian pluchea.Ozothamnus hookeri ''Ozothamnus hookeri'', commonly known as kerosene bush, is an aromatic shrub species, endemic to Australia. It grows to between 0.5 and 1 metre in height and has white-tomentose branchlets. The scale-like leaves are 4 to 5 mm long and 0.5 ...

'' Sond. (as ''B. lepidophylla'' DC.) * '' Vernonanthura brasiliana'' (L.) H.Rob. (as ''B. brasiliana'' L.) * '' Vernonanthura montevidensis'' (Spreng.) H.Rob. (as ''B. montevidensis'' Spreng.)

References

Bibliography

External links

* Pictures o
''Baccharis rhomboidalis''
an

growing in Chile. * * * {{Taxonbar, from=Q133834 Asteraceae genera Dioecious plants