Chrysothamnus

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{For|other species of rabbitbrush|Ericameria|Lorandersonia}} {{Automatic taxobox |image=Chrysothamnusvicidiflorus.JPG |image_caption=''Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus'' |display_parents=3 |taxon=Chrysothamnus |authority=Nutt. |synonyms_ref=<ref name=fna/> |synonyms= * ''Vanclevea'' <small>Greene</small> }}

'''''Chrysothamnus''''', known as '''rabbitbrush''', '''rabbitbush''', and '''chamisa''', are a genus of shrubs in the family Asteraceae.<ref>[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36318044#page/345/mode/1up Nuttall, Thomas. 1840. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, new series 7: 323–324.] in English</ref><ref>[http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40008689 Tropicos, ''Chrysothamnus'' Nutt.]</ref><ref name=usda>[http://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile?symbol=CHRYS9 USDA Plants Profile for ''Chrysothamnus'' (rabbitbrush)]</ref> The native distribution is in the arid western United States, Canada, and northern Mexico. It is known for its bright white or yellow flowers in late summer.<ref name=fna>[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=107019 Flora of North America, Rabbitbrush, ''Chrysothamnus'' Nuttall, Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, new series 7: 323. 1840. ]</ref>

''Chrysothamnus'' may grow up to a {{cvt|120|cm}} tall shrub or subshrub, usually with woody stem bases.<ref name=fna/> The leaves are alternate, sessile or with short petioles, with entire edges. The flowerheads are singular or in clusters. Each composite flower often has five to 6 (though sometimes upwards of 40) yellow disc florets and no ray florets.<ref name=fna/>

''Chrysothamnus'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including ''Coleophora linosyridella'', ''Coleophora viscidiflorella'' (which have both been recorded on ''C. viscidiflorus'') and ''Schinia walsinghami''.{{citation needed|date=November 2011}}

; Species<ref>[http://dixon.iplantcollaborative.org/CompositaeWeb/default.aspx?Page=NameDetails&TabNum=0&NameId=dab11c03-b40d-4df3-b13a-19943fdc058d Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist ] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20141114150241/http://dixon.iplantcollaborative.org/CompositaeWeb/default.aspx?Page=NameDetails&TabNum=0&NameId=dab11c03-b40d-4df3-b13a-19943fdc058d |date=2014-11-14 }}</ref><ref>[http://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Chrysothamnus Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution maps]</ref> * ''Chrysothamnus depressus'' – dwarf rabbitbrush, longflower rabbitbrush – California Nevada Arizona Utah Colorado New Mexico * ''Chrysothamnus eremobius'' – pintwater rabbitbrush, remote rabbitbrush – Nevada * ''Chrysothamnus greenei'' – Greene's rabbitbrush – California Nevada Arizona Utah Colorado New Mexico Wyoming * ''Chrysothamnus humilis'' – Truckee rabbitbrush – California Nevada Oregon Washington Idaho * ''Chrysothamnus molestus'' – Arizona rabbitbrush – Arizona * ''Chrysothamnus scopulorum'' – Arizona Utah * ''Chrysothamnus stylosus'' – Arizona Utah * ''Chrysothamnus vaseyi'' – Vasey's rabbitbrush – Arizona Utah New Mexico Colorado Wyoming * ''Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus'' – yellow rabbitbrush – British Columbia Washington Oregon California Arizona Nevada Idaho Montana Wyoming Utah Colorado New Mexico South Dakota Nebraska

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/specieslist.cgi?where-genus=Chrysothamnus CalFlora Database: ''Chrysothamnus'' (rabbitbrush)] * [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,931 Jepson Manual Treatment of ''Chrysothamnus''] * {{Commons category-inline|Chrysothamnus}}

Category:Astereae Category:Asteraceae genera Category:Flora of the Western United States Category:Taxa named by Thomas Nuttall