Baccharis salicina

The thick leaves are oblong to oval in shape and sometimes have roughly toothed edges. They may be up to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) long. Long, narrow, and alternate along the stems. They are dotted with resin, may be entire or have small teeth, and taper to a point. The shrub is dioecious, with male and female plants producing flower heads of different types. The head is enclosed in a layer of phyllaries and the female flowers yield fruits, each an achene with a white pappus about a centimeter long. Small, white or greenish flowers that appear in clusters in late summer and fall. The earliest name for the species is Baccharis salicifolia Nutt., coined in 1840. This name, however, had previously been used for some South American material, so the North American plants needed to be renamed as Baccharis salicina. This plant is not a true willow. There appears to be a complex of up to four species—emoryi, salicina, neglecta and angustifolia—that intergrade from west to east. Characteristics progress from broader leaves and larger heads (emoryi form of salicina) to narrow leaves with small heads (neglecta, angustifolia).