Baccharis

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.
Baccharis, with over 500 species, is the largest genus in the Asteraceae.
It is found throughout the Americas, distributed mainly in the warmer regions of Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Mexico, with B. halimifolia ranging northward along the Atlantic Coast to the southern tip of Nova Scotia in Canada.
If present, the leaves of Baccharis are borne along the stems in alternate fashion. Flowers are usually white or pinkish. There are no ray flowers, 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 in the gastrointestinal tract 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 and Heterothalamus.
All Baccharis are dioecious except Baccharis monoica.
Ecology
Baccharis are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, such as the swift moths Phymatopus californicus and P. hectoides. Those of the leaf-miner moths Bucculatrix dominatrix and B. seperabilis feed exclusively on bush baccharis (B. pilularis), B. ivella has been found on eastern baccharis, and B. variabilis is a polyphagous species which has been recorded on various Baccharis. The Coleophora case-bearers C. linosyridella and C. viscidiflorella are polyphagous species whose larvae have been recorded on the Bush Baccharis as well as other plants. Caterpillars of the owlet moth 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.
Plants of this genus are rich in terpenes, and some are used in native or folk medicine. One that has been specifically described from Chilean and Argentinean Baccharis is viscidone.
Baccharis flowers are rich in nectar, and several species are good honey plants. Particularly B. dracunculifolia is highly esteemed by beekeepers.
Conservation
A few Baccharis species (especially from the northern Andes) are almost extinct due to habitat destruction. 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 weeds 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 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 (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 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 H.Rob.
Baccharis burchellii Baker
Baccharis buxifolia Pers.
Baccharis cabrerae Ariza
Baccharis caespitosa (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers.
Baccharis concava (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers.
Baccharis dioica
Baccharis douglasii DC. – Saltmarsh baccharis, Douglas' baccharis
Baccharis dracunculifolia DC.
Baccharis eggersii Hieron.
Baccharis emoryi A.Gray
Baccharis fusca Turcz.
Baccharis genistelloides Pers.
Baccharis glomeruliflora
Baccharis glutinosa
Baccharis gracilis DC.
Baccharis halimifolia L. – Eastern baccharis, groundsel bush, groundsel tree, consumption weed, cotton-seed tree, silverling
Baccharis hambatensis Kunth
Baccharis havardii
Baccharis hieronymi Heering
Baccharis huairacajensis Hieron.
Baccharis humilis Sch.Bip. ex Baker
Baccharis intermedia DC.
Baccharis intermixta Gardner
Baccharis juncea (Lehm.) Desf.
Baccharis klattii 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 neglecta
Baccharis odorata – Tayanka bush
Baccharis patagonica
Baccharis pilularis DC. – Bush baccharis, coyote brush, coyote bush, chaparral broom
Baccharis platypoda DC.
Baccharis plummerae A.Gray
Baccharis pteronioides
Baccharis punctulata DC.
Baccharis racemosa (Ruiz & Pav.) DC.
Baccharis rhomboidalis Remy
Baccharis sagittalis
Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. – Mulefat, seep-willow, water-wally
Baccharis salicina
Baccharis sarothroides A.Gray – Broom baccharis, Desert broom
Baccharis semiserrata DC.
Baccharis sergiloides A.Gray – Desert baccharis
Baccharis serrula Sch.Bip.
Baccharis sessifolia L.
Baccharis sphaerocephala
Baccharis spicata (Lam.) Baill.
Baccharis texana
Baccharis thesioides
Baccharis tricuneata (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 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 (L.) Less. (as B. indica L.)
Ozothamnus hookeri 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 of Baccharis rhomboidalis, Baccharis sagittalis and Baccharis sphaerocephala growing in Chile.
Asteraceae genera
Dioecious plants