Brickellia sect. Gemmipedium Robinson (1917: 33)

Schilling, Edward E., Scott, Randall W. & Panero, Jose L., 2015, A revised infrageneric classification for Brickellia (Asteraceae, Eupatorieae), Phytotaxa 234 (2), pp. 151-158 : 155

4. Brickellia sect. Gemmipedium Robinson (1917: 33) . Lectotype (here chosen):— Brickellia spinulosa A.Gray.

Species:— Brickellia spinulosa A. Gray ; B. vernicosa B.L. Rob.

Geographic distribution:— Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas, eastern Jalisco ( B. spinulosa ) at mid-high elevations 1500–2300 m ( B. spinulosa ); 2000–2400 m ( B. vernicosa ).

Phenology:–Distinctive in being spring-early summer blooming: Jan–May ( B. spinulosa ); Mar–Jun ( B. vernicosa ).

Habitat:—Grasslands, shrubby hillsides ( B. spinulosa ); pine-oak woodlands, ridges ( B. vernicosa ).

Endemism:—Both are regional endemics.

Morphological trends.—The section and the two species in it are readily distinguished based on morphology, phenology, and by their preferred habitats and elevational ranges.

5. Brickellia sect. Kuhnia (L.) E.E. Schill. & R. Scott, stat. nov. Kuhnia Linnaeus (1763: 1661) . Type:— Kuhnia eupatorioides L. [= Brickellia eupatorioides (L.) Shinners].

Species:— Brickellia adenolepis (B.L. Rob.) Shinners ; B. eupatorioides (L.) Shinners; B. leonis Rzed. & Calderón ; B. oreithales (B.L. Rob.) Shinners ; B. scoparia A. Gray.

Geographic distribution:—Widespread from U.S. to Mexico. Two endemic species in Mexico ( B. adenolepis , southern Zacatecas, Jalisco, and Aguascalientes and B. leonis , Michoacan). Elevation range is broad, from 50–2300 m.

Phenology:—Primarily fall flowering, but widespread species with longer flowering periods extending from May–Nov.

Habitat:—Primarily grasslands and openings in pine-oak forests.

Morphological trends:—Herbaceous perennials, leaves usually alternate, linear to broadly lanceolate, involucre strongly imbricate, bracts apices often densely glandular, heads with 8–12 flowers, pappus bristles usually plumose, but barbellate in B. scoparia .

Taxonomic issues:—The wide-ranging B. eupatorioides is quite variable morphologically, and the status of its named varieties, notably B. eupatorioides var. floridana ( B. mosieri ) needs to be evaluated.