What is "brickellia"

Brickellia \Brickellia\ n. genus of herbs of SW America having usually creamy florets followed by one-seeded fruits in a prominent bristly sheath.

Syn: genus Brickelia.

Brickellia is a North American genus of about 100 to 110 species of plants in the aster family, Asteraceae, known commonly as brickellbushes. They are found in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central America. Many species are native to the American southwest, especially Texas. Brickellia is among the more basal lineages of the Eupatorieae and should not be assigned to a subtribe pending further research.

They are mostly woody perennial shrubs. Some species have a very strong pleasant scent, while others smell distasteful. All contain high amounts of essential oils. Germacrene D, a natural insecticide, is found in B. veronicifolia and probably other species, if not all.

Regardless their chemical defense, brickellbushes are food for caterpillars of certain Lepidoptera. These include the noctuid moths Schinia trifascia, Schinia oleagina, which is known only from Brickellia, Schinia buta, which is only known from B. californica, and Schinia gracilenta, which is only known from B. eupatorioides.

The genus is named for John Brickell, 1748–1809, Irish-born physician and naturalist