Baccharis
Encyclopedia
Baccharis is a genus
of perennials
and shrub
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
s. 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", and in fact Baccharis is in the same family as the true groundsels, Senecio
.
Baccharis, with over 500 species, is the largest genus in the Compositae.
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 staminate) and pistillate flowers.
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.
and Heterothalamus
.
The genus Baccharis is named after Bacchus (Dionysus)
, the Roman god of wine.
e 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 larve have been recorded on the Bush Baccharis as well as other plants. Caterpillar
s of the owlet moth Schinia ocularis feed exclusively on Broom Baccharis (B. sarothroides).
.
Plants of this genus are rich in terpene
s, and some are used in native or folk medicine
. One that has been specifically described from Chilean Baccaris is viscidone.
Baccharis flowers are rich in nectar, and several species are good honey plants. Particularly B. dracunculifolia is highly esteemed by beekeepers.
) are almost extinct due to habitat destruction
. The northernmost occurrence of B. halimifolia, in Nova Scotia, Canada, is also receiving conservation attention.
, have become invasive weeds in places such as Australia and Spain, where they are not native..
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of perennials
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
and shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s in the aster family (Asteraceae)
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
. They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true broom
Broom (shrub)
Brooms are a group of evergreen, semi-evergreen, and deciduous shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the legume family Fabaceae, mainly in the three genera Chamaecytisus, Cytisus and Genista, but also in many other small genera . All genera in this group are from the tribe Genisteae...
s. They are not at all related to these however, but belong to an entirely different lineage of eudicots. B. halimifolia
Baccharis halimifolia
Baccharis halimifolia is a fall-flowering deciduous or evergreen shrub commonly found in wetlands on the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains of the eastern United States from Texas and Florida northward to Massachusetts, inland to the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania...
is commonly known as "groundsel bush", and in fact Baccharis is in the same family as the true groundsels, Senecio
Senecio
Senecio is a genus of the daisy family that includes ragworts and groundsels. The flower heads are normally rayed, completely yellow, and the heads are borne in branched clusters...
.
Baccharis, with over 500 species, is the largest genus in the Compositae.
It is found throughout the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, distributed mainly in the warmer regions of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, with B. halimifolia ranging northward along the Atlantic Coast to the southern tip of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
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 staminate) and pistillate flowers.
Some species of Baccharis are toxic to animals; in particular, consumption of B. coridifolia may lead to necrosis
Necrosis
Necrosis is the premature death of cells in living tissue. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, toxins, or trauma. This is in contrast to apoptosis, which is a naturally occurring cause of cellular death...
in the gastrointestinal tract
Gastrointestinal tract
The human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. ....
of cattle, horses, sheep, and rabbits.
Classification
Baccharis is related to the genera ArchibaccharisArchibaccharis
Archibaccharis is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family....
and Heterothalamus
Heterothalamus
Heterothalamus is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family....
.
The genus Baccharis is named after Bacchus (Dionysus)
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
, the Roman god of wine.
Ecology
Baccharis species are used as food plants by the larvaLarva
A larva 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...
e of some Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
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
Bucculatrix ivella
The Groundsel Leaf-perforator Moth or Groundsel Leaf-mining Moth is a moth of the Bucculatricidae family. It is native to North America, but has been introduced to Queensland....
has been found on Eastern Baccharis, and B. variabilis is a polyphagous species which has been recorded on various Baccharis. The Coleophora
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...
case-bearers C. linosyridella
Coleophora linosyridella
Coleophora linosyridella is a moth of the Coleophoridae family. It is found from Germany to the Pyrenees and Italy and from Great Britain to Romania.The wingspan is 11.5-13.5 mm. Adults are on wing from late June to August in one generation per year....
and C. viscidiflorella
Coleophora viscidiflorella
Coleophora viscidiflorella is a moth of the Coleophoridae family. It is found in North America, including California.The larvae feed on the leaves of Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus. They create a trivalved, tubular silken case....
are polyphagous species whose larve have been recorded on the Bush Baccharis as well as other plants. Caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s 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 windbreakWindbreak
A windbreak or shelterbelt is a plantation 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 around the edges of fields on farms. If designed properly, windbreaks around a...
.
Plants of this genus are rich in terpene
Terpene
Terpenes are a large and diverse class of organic compounds, produced by a variety of plants, particularly conifers, though also by some insects such as termites or swallowtail butterflies, which emit terpenes from their osmeterium. They are often strong smelling and thus may have had a protective...
s, and some are used in native or folk medicine
Folk medicine
-Description:Refers to healing practices and ideas of body physiology and health preservation known to a limited segment of the population in a culture, transmitted informally as general knowledge, and practiced or applied by anyone in the culture having prior experience.All cultures and societies...
. One that has been specifically described from Chilean Baccaris 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 AndesAndes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
) are almost extinct due to habitat destruction
Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
. The northernmost occurrence of B. halimifolia, in Nova Scotia, Canada, is also receiving conservation attention.
Invasiveness
Some Baccharis species, particularly Eastern baccharis (B. halimifolia)Baccharis halimifolia
Baccharis halimifolia is a fall-flowering deciduous or evergreen shrub commonly found in wetlands on the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains of the eastern United States from Texas and Florida northward to Massachusetts, inland to the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania...
, have become invasive weeds in places such as Australia and Spain, where they are not native..
Selected species
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 hookeriOzothamnus hookeriOzothamnus hookeri 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 to 1 mm wide. These are green on the upper surface, and white tomentose below...
Sond. (as B. lepidophylla DC.) - Vernonanthura brasiliana (L.) H.Rob. (as B. brasiliana L.)
- Vernonanthura montevidensis (Spreng.) H.Rob. (as B. montevidensis Spreng.)
External links
- Pictures of Baccharis rhomboidalis, Baccharis sagittalis and Baccharis sphaerocephala growing in Chile.