156 MISC. PUBLICATION 101, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
Aster Tribe (Astereae) 
GOLDENWEEDS AND TREIR CONGENERS (APLOPAPPUS SPP.)% 
This large genus, of very diverse habit, has on the whole low palat- | 
ability; many of the species are worthless unless the range is over- 
grazed, overstocked, or both; some of the species are more or less_ “ 
poisonous. ‘The United States species of the sections or groups — 
Pyrrocoma and Sideranthus (syn. Ericcarpum) are sob 
those of the section Stenotus (syn. Tonestus) have woody roots and 
crowns; those of the sections or groups Chrysoma, Ericameria, Iso- — 
coma, and Macronema are more or less shrubby. Several of the 
woody western species (e. g., A. palmeri, syn. H'ricameria palmer, 
and A. venetus, syns. Bigelovia veneta, Tsocoma veneta), have medici- 
nal uses among Indians and Mexicans. A number (e. g., the resinous — 
A. laricifolius, syns. Chrysoma laricifotia and Hricameria. lavicifolia) — 
are highly ornamental when in fuil | bloom, but none of them are — 
known to be in cultivation. Many are commonly called rayless- — 
eoldenrod. 
Goldenfieece (A. arborescens, syns. Bigelovia arborescens, Chry- 
soma arborescens, Hricameria arborescens), also called tree rayless- 
goldenrod, is a common evergreen shrub of California chaparral-_ 
covered foothills; while of no grazing value its abundance is note- i | 
worthy. Its grow th form and height (3 to 15 feet) make it one of — 
the most nearly arborescent of American Compositae. It doubtless | 
is of use in erosion control. 
Bicomer rabbit brush (A. bloomeri, syn. Chrysothamnus bloom- 
evi) is an anomalous species, distinctly ‘of the rabbit brush (Chryso- | 
thamnus) habit save for its rayed flower heads. It is a fine-leaved © 
shrub, 1 to 2 feet high, which ranges from Washington to Nevada 
and California, on dry ridges, plains of volcanic ash, and the like, i 
at considerable variations of elevation at least from 3 000 to 10,000 — 
feet ; it is locally abundant and is often met with 1 in burns and other 
openings in timber. It is usually worthless for cattle and horses” 
and low for sheep; mules and burros, however, will sometimes crop 
it materially. Itis most apt to be grazed either in spring or fall, 
Jimmyweed (A. heterophyllus, syns. Linosyris heterophn yllus, a 
Bigelovia wrightu, Isocoma wrightii), often called rabbit brush and _ 
rayless-goldenrod, is a half shrub, 14% to 4 feet high, growing on dry 
alkaline plains, low foothills, and also along streams and washes, 
frequently in association with creosote bush, from western Texas to — 
Colorado, Arizona, and south into Mexico. Its taste is bitter-resinous 
and under normal conditions livestock do not relish it. If forced to 
eraze it, cattle, horses, and sheep are liable to be poisoned, and some- 
times killed. It causes what is popularly called alkali disease and 
milk sickness, resulting in weakness, lassitude, and trembles (133, 87, 
68, 88, 82, 81), the symptoms being identical with those of eastern 
milk sickness caused by white snakeroot or show thoroughwort 
(Hupatorium urticaefolium, syn. F. ageratoides). Moreover, as with 
E, urticaefoliwm, human beings may contract the disease, by obtain- _ 
ing the toxic compound (tremetol) through drinking the milk of 
21 Spelled Haplopappus by some authors. The commonest synonyms are Chay si 
Ericameria, Eriocarpum, Isocoma, Macronema, Pyrrocoma, Sideranthus, Stenotus, anc 
Tonestus. Bigelovia is partly a synonym, 
