Perennials, 30-50 cm (caudices woody). Stems branched, pubescent, gland-dotted. Leaves mostly alternate, sometimes opposite; petioles 0-5 mm; blades 3-nerved from bases (venation raised, reticulate), elliptic to lanceolate or ovate to subdeltate, 20-70 × 7-20 mm, bases ± cuneate, margins crenate to serrate, apices acute, faces glandular-pubescent. Heads in paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 2-15 mm, tomentose, often gland-dotted. Involucres narrowly cylindric, 10-13 mm. Phyllaries 18-20 in 3-4(-5) series, green or purplish, 5-9-striate, unequal, margins scarious (apices acute, attenuate, obtuse, or nearly rounded); outer ovate (lengths evenly grading to inner, margins ciliate, faces pubescent, often gland-dotted), inner narrowly lanceolate to linear-oblong (faces glabrous). Florets 9-24; corollas pale yellow-green, 6-8.2 mm. Cypselae 2.5-4 mm, densely pubescent; pappi of 32-43 white, mostly barbellate, sometimes subplumose, bristles.

Duration: Perennial

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Subshrub

General: Perennial from a woody caudex, 30-50 cm tall, stems branched, pubescent, gland-dotted.

Leaves: Mostly alternate to opposite, sometimes sessile, on petioles 0-5 mm, blades 3-nerved from base with raised venation, reticulate; elliptic to lanceolate, 2-7 cm long, 7-20 mm wide, lengths mostly 2-5 times width; bases more or less cuneate, margins crenate to serrate, acute apex, faces glandular-pubescent.

Flowers: Heads in paniculiform arrays, on peduncles 2-15 mm, tomentose, often gland-dotted; involucres narrowly cylindric, 10-13 mm, phyllaries 18-20 in 3-4 series, green or purplish, 5-9 striate, unequal, margins scarious, apices mostly acute; florets 9-24, corollas pale yellow-green, 6-8.2 mm.

Fruits: Cypselae 2.5-4 mm, densely pubescent, pappi of 32-42 white, mostly barbellate, sometimes subplumose bristles.

Ecology: Found on igneous soils in montane forests or on canyon slopes; 5,000-7,500 ft (1524-2286 m); flowers August-November.

Distribution: se AZ, sw NM, sw TX; south to c MEX.

Notes: Brickelia species are perennial, much-branched herbs and often shrubs with often cylindrical heads with many stigmas waving from the top; unequal bracts surrounding heads (phyllarees) in multiple series; heads of all cream to yellow disk flowers, and a pappus of bristles. B. lemmonii distinguished by being a single-stemmed perennial herb, if branched, weakly so; short-petioled (0-5 mm), glandular, oblong to lanceolate, round-toothed leaves with emerging leaves crowded in axils; and the tomentose peduncles.

Ethnobotany: Unknown, but other species in the genus have uses.

Etymology: Brickellia is named for Dr. John Brickell (1749-1809), while lemmonii is probably named for John Gil Lemmon (1832-1908) and his wife Sara Plummer Lemmon (1836-1923) who collected plants for Asa Gray all across the west.

Synonyms: None

Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2014