Encelia californica

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Campanulids
Ordo: Asterales

Familia: Asteraceae
Subfamilia: Asteroideae
Tribus: Heliantheae
Subtribus: Enceliinae
Genus: Encelia
Species: Encelia californica
Name

Encelia californica Nutt., Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc. ser. 2, 7: 357, 1841.
Synonyms

Encelia conspersa A. Gray

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Northern America
Regional: Southwestern USA
USA (California)
Regional: Mexico
Mexico (Baja California Norte)

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References

Nuttall, T. 1840. Descriptions of new species and genera of plants in the natural order of the Compositae, collected in a tour across the continent to the Pacific, a residence in Oregon, and a visit to the Sandwich Islands and upper California, during the years 1834 and 1835. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, held at Philadelphia, for promoting useful knowledge, n.s.[new series][ser. 2], 7: 283–453. BHL Reference page.

Links

International Plant Names Index. 2018. Encelia californica. Published online. Accessed: Feb. 03 2018.
The Plant List 2013. Encelia californica in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Feb. 03.
Tropicos.org 2018. Encelia californica. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Feb. 03.
Hassler, M. 2018. Encelia californica. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2018. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Feb. 03. Reference page.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Encelia californica in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 07-Oct-06.

Vernacular names
English: California Brittlebush

Encelia californica is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name California brittlebush. It is also commonly referred to as "California coast sunflower" and "California bush sunflower".[2]

Distribution

This shrub is native to southern California (U.S.) and northern Baja California (México). It is a member of the coastal sage plant community at the shoreline, and the chaparral and woodlands plant community on inland foothills in the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges.[2][3][4]
Description

Encelia californica is a bushy shrub that reaches between 50–150 cm (20-60 inches) in height. It has many thin branches covered in widely spaced green leaves which are a rounded diamond shape.

The solitary flower heads are daisy like, with 15 to 25 bright yellow ray florets 1 to 3 centimeters long around a center of protruding yellowish to purplish brown disc florets.

The fruit is an achene 5 to 7 millimeters long, with no pappus. It blooms from February to June, and attracts butterflies, bees, and other insects.[5]
Uses

It is a host plant for the larvae of the Bay checkerspot butterfly, a threatened species.

Encelia californica is cultivated by specialty nurseries as an ornamental plant, for use in native plant and wildlife gardens, and natural landscaping projects. It is drought tolerant but not frost tolerant, and needs full sun.
See also

List of California native plants
Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands

References

The Plant List, Encelia californica Nutt.
Calflora taxon report, University of California, Encelia californica Nutt., California brittlebush, California encelia, bush sunflower
Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
Tropicos, specimen listing for Encelia californica Nutt.
Flora of North America Encelia californica Nuttall