Baccharis sarothroides

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Baccharis sarothroides
Baccharissarothroides.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Baccharis
Species:
B. sarothroides
Binomial name
Baccharis sarothroides

Baccharis sarothroides is a North American species of flowering shrub known by the common names broom baccharis, desertbroom, [1] [2] greasewood, [1] rosin-bush [1] and groundsel [1] in English and "escoba amarga" or "romerillo" in Spanish. This is a spreading, woody shrub usually sticky with glandular secretions along the primarily leafless green stems. The small, thick leaves are a few centimeters long and are absent much of the year, giving the shrub a spindly, twiggy appearance. It flowers abundantly with tiny green blooms on separate male and female plants. [1]

Contents

Native to the Sonoran Desert of northwestern Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, Sonora) and the Southwestern United States (southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas), it is common in gravelly dry soils and disturbed areas. [3] [1]

Uses

The Seri refer to desert broom as cascol caaco, and make a decoction by cooking the twigs. This drink is used to treat colds, sinus headache, and general sore achey ailments. The same tea is also used as a rub for sore muscles. [4]

Studies done on plant extracts show that desert broom is rich in leutolin, a flavonoid that has demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cholesterol lowering capabilities. Desert broom also has quercetin, a proven antioxidant, and apigenin a chemical which binds to the same brain receptor sites that Valium does. [5] [6] However many members of the Sunflower family also contain compounds that cause negative side effects, thus caution is advised until this plant is more extensively tested.

Planting and care

Most people try to get rid of this plant, but it will grow in heavy clay or saline soils. The tall, bushy shrub has green stems and twigs and highly reduced leaves. It will accept shearing and can be trained into a decent, short-lived privacy hedge, useful while the longer-lived, taller, but slower growing Arizona rosewood gets established. Plants may be purchased at nurseries and planted in place. Avoid overwatering in heavy soils as desert broom will drown. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Baccharis</i> Genus of flowering plants

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 not at all related to these however, but belong to an entirely different lineage of eudicots. B. halimifolia is commonly known as "groundsel bush", however true groundsels are found in the genus Senecio.

<i>Adenostoma fasciculatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Adenostoma fasciculatum, commonly known as chamise or greasewood, is a flowering plant native to California and Baja California. This shrub is one of the most widespread plants of the California chaparral ecoregion. Chamise produces a specialized lignotuber underground and at the base of the stem, known as a burl, that allow it to resprout after fire has off burned its stems. It is noted for its greasy, resinous foliage, and its status as one of California's most iconic chaparral shrubs.

<i>Calycoseris parryi</i> Species of flowering plant

Calycoseris parryi, the yellow tackstem, is a spring wildflower found in the Mojave Desert, the Sonoran Desert, and surrounding regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It is found in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Baja California.

<i>Baccharis pilularis</i> Species of shrub

Baccharis pilularis, called coyote brush, 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 Mexico, most likely introduced.

<i>Ericameria nauseosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Ericameria nauseosa, commonly known as chamisa, rubber rabbitbrush, and gray rabbitbrush, is a shrub in the sunflower family (Aster) found in the arid regions of western North America.

<i>Prunus fasciculata</i> Species of tree

Prunus fasciculata, also known as wild almond, desert almond, or desert peach is a spiny and woody shrub producing wild almonds, which is native to western deserts of North America.

<i>Crocanthemum scoparium</i> Species of flowering plants in the rock rose family Cistaceae

Crocanthemum scoparium, commonly known as the Broom-Like Frostweed or Peak Rushrose, is a small, drought-tolerant shrub native to North America, particularly in coastal and inland chaparral ecosystems of California, Baja California, and surrounding regions. It is a member of the Cistaceae family, which is well-known for its hardy, sun-loving plants adapted to dry climates. The plant is recognized for its upright, broom-like branches, which give it a distinctive appearance and its common name. It typically grows to about 1–3 feet tall.

<i>Lepidospartum</i> Genus of shrubs

Lepidospartum is a genus of North American desert shrubs in the daisy family. They are known commonly as broomsages or scalebrooms. These are tall, woody shrubs with stiff twiggy branches that resemble brooms. They are native to the southwestern United States and far northern Mexico. These shrub have thin, narrow, needlelike or scalelike leaves and bear yellow daisy flowers.

<i>Isocoma acradenia</i> Species of flowering plant

Isocoma acradenia is a North American species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name alkali goldenbush.

<i>Baccharis brachyphylla</i> Species of flowering plant

Baccharis brachyphylla is a North American species of shrub in the family Asteraceae, known by the common name shortleaf baccharis or false willow. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It grows in desert habitats such as arroyos and canyons.

<i>Baccharis sergiloides</i> Species of flowering plant

Baccharis sergiloides is a species of Baccharis known by the common name desert baccharis.

<i>Ceanothus pauciflorus</i> Species of flowering plant

Ceanothus pauciflorus, known by the common name Mojave ceanothus, is a species of flowering shrub in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae. It is native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico, where it grows primarily in shrubland communities at moderate to high elevations. It is characterized by oppositely arranged leaves, corky stipules and white flowers. It was formerly known as Ceanothus greggii.

<i>Rafinesquia neomexicana</i> Species of plant

Rafinesquia neomexicana is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Common names include desert chicory, plumeseed, or New Mexico plumeseed. It has white showy flowers, milky sap, and weak, zigzag stems, that may grow up through other shrubs for support. It is an annual plant found in dry climate areas of the southwestern deserts of the US and northwestern deserts of Mexico.

<i>Menodora scabra</i> Species of shrub

Menodora scabra is broom-like shrub in the Olive Family (Oleaceae), known by the common name rough menodora or broom twinberry. It is a popular desert garden plant.

<i>Quercus turbinella</i> Species of oak shrub

Quercus turbinella is a North American species of oak known by the common names shruboak, turbinella oak, shrub live oak, and gray oak. It is native to Arizona, California, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada in the western United States. It also occurs in northern Mexico.

<i>Quercus oblongifolia</i> Species of oak tree

Quercus oblongifolia, commonly known as the Mexican blue oak, Arizona blue oak, Blue live oak or Sonoran blue oak, is an evergreen small tree or large shrub in the white oak group.

<i>Baccharis salicina</i> Species of flowering plant

Baccharis salicina is a species of plant in the family Asteraceae. Common names include willow baccharis, and Great Plains false willow. It is a shrub found in North America where it grows in mildly saline areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greasewood</span> Index of plants with the same common name

Greasewood is a common name shared by several plants:

<i>Ambrosia salsola</i> Species of flowering plant

Ambrosia salsola, commonly called cheesebush, winged ragweed, burrobush, white burrobrush, and desert pearl, is a species of perennial shrub in the family Asteraceae native to deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

<i>Ambrosia monogyra</i> Species of flowering plant

Ambrosia monogyra is a species of flowering plant in the sunflower family commonly known as the singlewhorl burrobrush, leafy burrobush, slender burrobush, and desert fragrance. Ambrosia monogyra is native to North America and is typically found in canyons, desert washes, and ravines throughout arid parts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. This species has green, threadlike leaves that emit a distinctive odor when crushed, and flowers from August to November. The fruits have distinctive wings in their middle that aid in dispersion through wind and water.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Baccharis sarothroides A. Gray". Flora of North America. eFloras.org. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  2. Calflora taxon report, Baccharis sarothroides A. Gray, broom baccharis, desertbroom baccharis
  3. Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  4. Felger, R. S. and M. B. Moser, 1985, People of the Desert and Sea. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ.
  5. Wasowski, Cristina & Marder, Mariel (2012). "Flavonoids as GABAA receptor ligands: the whole story". Journal of Experimental Pharmacology. 4: 9–24. doi: 10.2147/JEP.S23105 . PMC   4863311 . PMID   27186113.
  6. Karch, S. B. 1999. The Consumer's Guide to Herbal Medicine. Advanced Research Press, New York, NY.
  7. Soule, J. 2011. Father Kino's Herbs: Growing and Using Them Today. Tierra del Sol Press.