Encelia farinosa explained

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.

Description

Brittlebush grows up to 30cmto150cmcm (10inchesto60inchescm) tall,^[1] with fragrant leaves 3– long, ovate to deltoid, and silvery tomentose.^[2] Arranged in loose panicles above the leafy stems, the capitula are NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches) in diameter. Each has 8–18 orange-yellow ray florets, NaNmm in length, and yellow or purple-brown disc florets. The fruit measures NaNmm and no pappus is visible. During dry seasons the plant goes drought deciduous, shedding all of its foliage, relying on the water stored in its thick stems.^[3]

Encelia californica is similar, but has only one flower head per stalk.

Chemistry

The leaves contain 3-Acetyl-6-methoxybenzaldehyde.^[4]

Taxonomy

Varieties

Two varieties of E. farinosa are recognized by Flora of North America.^[5]

• 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.

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).^{[8] [9]}

It can be found in a variety of habitats from dry, gravelly slopes to open, sandy washes up to 1000m (3,000feet) above sea level. It requires a very sunny position in a deep very well-drained soil, and minimal winter frost.

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.

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]

External links

• • UC Jepson Manual treatment for Encelia farinosa
• Encelia farinosa – U.C. CalPhotos Gallery

Notes and References

1. Hogan, C. Michael (ed.) . Retrieved 1 April 2013.
2. Book: Spellenberg, Richard . National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region . Knopf . 2001 . 978-0-375-40233-3 . rev . 369–370 . 1979.
3. Book: Gacsi/Morgan . April/Steve . Deserts of the Southwest Self Guided Tour . January 1992 . University of California, Riverside Botanic Gardens . Riverside, California . 10.
4. Gray, Reed. Bonner, James. Structure Determination and Synthesis of a Plant Growth Inhibitor, 3-Acetyl-6-methoxybenzaldehyde, Found in the Leaves of Encelia Farinosa. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 19 March 1948. 70. 3. 1249–1253. 10.1021/ja01183a114. 18909201.
5. Web site: Encelia farinosa in Flora of North America. Efloras.org. 1 April 2022.
6. Book: Bohm, Bruce A.. The Geography of Phytochemical Races. 2009. Springer. Dordrecht. 9781402090523. 112.
7. Book: Felger, Richard Stephen . People of the Desert and Sea: Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians . Moser, Mary Beck . University of Arizona Press . 1985 . 0816508186 . 2. print. . Tucson, Ariz. . registration.
8. Web site: Photographic image of distribution map . 1 April 2022 . Bonap.net . PNG.
9. Web site: Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map . 1 April 2022 . Bonap.net.
10. Web site: Encelia farinosa Brittle Bush, Brittlebush, Incienso PFAF Plant Database . 26 January 2019 . www.pfaf.org.
11. Book: Dunmire, William W.. Gardens of New Spain: How Mediterranean Plants and Foods Changed America. 2004. University of Texas Press. Austin. 978-0-292-70564-7.
12. Book: Soule, Jacqueline A.. Father Kinos's Herbs: Growing & Using Them Today. 2012. Tierra del Sol Institute Press. Tucson. 978-0-9758554-2-3.
13. Web site: Plants of the Cahuilla Indians of the Colorado Desert and Surrounding Mountains. Enduring Knowledge Publications. 26 January 2019. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044126/http://www.enduringknowledgepublications.com/cahuillaplants.html. dead.
14. Book: James, Harry. Temalpakh: Cahuilla Indian Knowledge and Usage of Plants. 1985. Malki Museum Press. 978-0-9390-4606-5.