Isocoma pluriflora (Torr. & A. Gray) Greene

Jimmyweed, jimmy goldenweed, southern goldenbush

Similar species

	You are here Isocoma pluriflora	Ericameria linearifolia	Ericameria nauseosa
Common Name	jimmyweed	goldenbush	rubber rabbitbrush
Plant	Herbaceous perennial subshrubs are 1–3½′ (30–106 cm) tall, with over 25 erect or ascending stems that are usually hairless.	Perennial shrubs 1–5′ (40–150 cm) tall, either erect or spreading. They prefer sandy or rocky soil, and dry creekbeds, deserts, mountainsides, and mesas.	Shrubs 6½–26′ (2–8 m) in size. Stems are whitish to green or gray and flexible. Some subspecies contain a sap that is a high quality source of rubber. It is a highly variable species, with several subspecies.
Leaves	Alternate, light or dull green, linear, and ⅜–1¾″ long ⨉ 1/16–⅛″ wide (1–5 cm ⨉ 2–4 mm). Leaf axils often contain small leaflets.	Leaves are linear, ⅜–1¾″ (1–5 cm) long by up to ⅛″ (3 mm) wide. They are sessile—attached directly to the stem—and alternate. Stems have a resinous coating. Plants are drought deciduous—they drop leaves in high summer heat to conserve water.	Lanceolate or spatulate, ¾–3″ (2–7.5 cm) long and 1/32–⅛″ (0.5–3 mm) wide. Leaves are grayish, due to a soft feltlike covering of fine hairs. Crushed leaves or flowers produce an unpleasant odor.
Flowers	Inflorescences contain many flower­heads, each containing 8-17 disc florets and flat or rounded yellow-tipped phyllaries. Flowers appear from July to October.	These composite flowers are bright yellow, and up to 1¾″ (4.5 cm) in diameter. Each flower has 3-18 ray florets, each ¼–½″ (7–15 mm) long; and 16-60 disc florets. Flowerheads appear at the ends of long leafless stems. They appear from March to May.	Flowerheads are ⅛–½″ (6–13 mm), umbrella-shaped umbels comprised of five small yellow tubular disc flowers. Each flower is ¼–⅜″ (6.3–10 mm) long. Flowers appear from July to October.
Fruit	Cypselae.	Achenes are tan to brown, ⅛–3/16″ (4–5 mm) long and narrow, with a pappus of bristles, each ⅛–¼″ (6–7 mm) long.	Small seeds with “parachutes” (pappi) are scattered by winds.
Range/ Zones			USDA Zones: 4-9
Habitats	Creosote and mesquite communities. mesas and plains with saline, sandy, clay or alkaline soils, common along roadsides, at elevations of 3500–6500′ (1–2.0 km).	Rocky or sandy soils of mountainsides, dry creek beds, deserts, mesas, and interior plains; at elevations of 230–6562′ (70–2000 m).	Disturbed soils and arid climates, in plains, valley bottoms, foothills, and mountains.

	Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus
Common Name	yellow rabbitbrush
Plant	Deciduous shrubs are 8–43″ (20–110 cm) tall, with densely spaced brittle stems. Stems may be smooth or hairy, depending on the subspecies.
Leaves	Alternate, simple, ⅜–2″ long ⨉ 1/32–¼″ wide (1–6 cm ⨉ 0.5–8 mm), and linear or oblong. Leaves are glandular, sticky, resinous, and often twisted.
Flowers	Stems are tipped by compact to open rounded cymes of yellow flowerheads, each ⅛–¼ ⨉ 1/16–⅛″ wide (5–7.5 ⨉ 2–4 mm). Each flowerhead is lined with sticky yellow-green bracts, called phyllaries. Individual flowers are ⅛–3/16″ (4–6 mm) long. Flowers appear from June to October.
Fruit	Five-ribbed achenes are ⅛″ (4 mm) long, with tufts of hair for wind distribution.
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Sagebrush and woodland habitats, especially soils rich in calcium, at elevations of 3281–13123′ (1–4 km). Tolerates alkaline and saline soils. It is an early colonizer of soils disturbed by burns, floods, or rockslides.

Isocoma pluriflora description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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