Shrubs, 50-200 cm. Stems branched from near bases, glandular-pubescent. Leaves alternate; petioles 5-60+ mm; blades 3-nerved from bases, ovate to deltate, 10-100 × 10-90 mm, bases cordate to truncate, margins crenate to serrate, apices acute to rounded, faces puberulent to glabrate, often gland-dotted. Heads borne in (leafy) paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 1-5 mm, glandular-pubescent. Involucres cylindric to obconic, 7-12 mm. Phyllaries 21-35 in 5-6 series, greenish, often purple-tinged, 3-4-striate, unequal, margins scarious; outer ovate to lance-ovate (glabrous or sparsely glandular-pubescent, apices acute to acuminate), inner lanceolate (glabrous, apices obtuse to acuminate). Florets 8-12; corollas pale yellow-green, 5.5-8 mm. Cypselae 2.5-3.5 mm, puberulent; pappi of 24-30 white, barbellate bristles. 2n = 18. Flowering Jul-Oct. Dry, rocky hillsides, arroyos, canyons; 800-2700 m; Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Nev., N.Mex., Okla., Tex., Utah, Wyo. Floret number of 18 is reported for Brickellia californica in most floras; A. Cronquist (1994) noted that 18 is high by his count; he reported 12 as the maximum number for the specimens he sampled and that fits the specimens I have counted from Arizona.

Plant: Shrub 5-20 dm; stems many, branched, puberulent to weakly tomentose Leaves: alternate, short-petioled, simple, veiny, 1-6 cm, triangular-ovate, ± serrate, gland-dotted, puberulent, reduced upward INFLORESCENCE: heads 12-14 mm, in a leafy panicle with small clusters on short lateral branchlets; involucre cylindric; phyllaries 21-35, overlapping, 3-5-veined, green or ± purple, ± glabrous, outer ± lanceolate to ovate, inner linear to oblong, tips rounded to ± acute, erect Flowers: 8-18; corollas cylindric, ± white or tinged red; anther bases rounded or slightly cordate, tips ovate; style branches long, club-shaped, tips rounded Fruit: 3 mm, 10-ribbed, generally cylindric, hairy; pappus generally of many, generally scabrous bristles Misc: Diverse dry habitats; < 2700 m.; May, Aug-Oct