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Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Shrubs Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)

General: Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla) is a low-growing shrub with short, toothed leaves. The stems are woolly hairy, and the leaves are notched and glandular with tiny spines at the tips of the serrations. The flowerheads are rayless, small, occur at the tips of the stems. The phyllaries are in sets of different length, and tips are somewhat spoon-shaped and recurved (stacking up like a pineapple). Ray flowers only; 8-28 ray flowers per flowerhead. Old flowerheads persist.

Littleleaf Brickellbush is an uncommon component of vegetation in moist canyons in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zone.

Family: Sunflower (Asteraceae)

There are two varieties of Littleleaf Brickellbush in Nevada:

  • B. m. var. microphylla — Littleleaf Brickellbush (Pineapple Bush). 15-30 ray flowers. Smoother surfaces.
  • B. m. var. scabra — Rough Brickellbush. 8–13 ray flowers. Rougher surfaces.
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla) Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Shrub growing from a crack in a rock face
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Shrub with mix of old and new leaves
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla) Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla) Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Stem with woolly hairs; leaves are sessile; upper surface
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Leaf: lower surface
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Leaf with rough surface; dorsal surface
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Leaf with rough surface; ventral surface
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Phyllaries of different lengths, stacked like a pineapple
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Flowerhead with ray flowers only
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Old flowerheads are persistent
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Old flowerheads are persistent
Littleleaf Brickellbush (Brickellia microphylla)
Persistent flowerhead; phyllary tips spoon-shaped, recurved
more to come
More to come ...

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
copyright; Last updated 220101

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