Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia
Narrow leaved brickellia
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia (Narrow leaved brickellia) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by high elevation, large heads with many flowers.
Narrow leaved brickellia is a California native perennial found in the Mojave Desert, eastern Sierra Nevada, and southern Sierra Nevada in desert, grassland, and dry rocky hillsides at elevations of 1,200 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from April to October, this plant produces pale yellow-green to cream flowers often tinged with purple in heads 10 to 20 millimeters long. Growing with branched stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall that are dotted with stalked glands and short hairs, it forms a woody caudex. Its alternate leaves are 9 to 40 millimeters long, elliptic to lance-linear, with surfaces covered in puberulent or long crooked hairs. The fruit is 3 to 7 millimeters long with a pappus of 18 to 25 minutely barbed bristles.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species; high elevation, large heads with many flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Desert, grassland, dry rocky hillsides
Elevation: 1200-2800 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico
Bloom period
Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia blooms Apr-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Marrubium: Brickellia has cream flowers in heads; Marrubium has white flowers in whorls around stem with strongly wrinkled leaves.; vs Malacothamnus: Brickellia has composite flower heads; Malacothamnus has individual pink hibiscus-like flowers with fused stamens.; vs Atriplex: Brickellia has tubular flowers in heads; Atriplex has tiny greenish flowers and often has mealy gray coating on leaves.; vs Baccharis: Brickellia flowers are bisexual with protruding styles; Baccharis has separate male and female plants with styles hidden.; vs Bahiopsis: Brickellia lacks ray petals entirely; Bahiopsis has bright yellow ray petals surrounding the flower head.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia native to California?
Yes. Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia bloom?
Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia blooms Apr-Oct.
What plant family does Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia belong to?
Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia is in the Asteraceae family, genus Brickellia.
What habitat does Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia grow in?
Brickellia oblongifolia var. linifolia grows in Desert, grassland, dry rocky hillsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Brickellia sp. — Brickellbush
- Brickellia atractyloides — Spear leaved brickellia
- Brickellia atractyloides var. arguta — Pungent brickellbush
- Brickellia atractyloides var. atractyloides — Spearleaf brickellbush
- Brickellia atractyloides var. odontolepis — California spear leaved brickellia
- Brickellia californica — California brickellbush
- Cacaliopsis nardosmia — Cut leaf cacaliopsis
- Cacaliopsis sp.
- Calendula arvensis — Field-marigold
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.