Ambrosia ambrosioides

Ambrosia ambrosioides, also known as canyon ragweed or chicura, is a ragweed found in the deserts of northern Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Durango, Sonora), Arizona, and California (Ventura + San Diego Counties).[2][3][4][5]

Ambrosia ambrosioides
South Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Ambrosia
Species:
A. ambrosioides
Binomial name
Ambrosia ambrosioides
(Cav.) W.W.Payne
Synonyms[1]
  • Ambrosia longifolia Sessé & Moc.
  • Franseria ambrosioides Cav.
  • Gaertneria ambrosiodes (Cav.) Kuntze
  • Xanthidium ambrosioides (Cav.) Delpino

Growing as a shrub from 1–2 meters high, its elongate, coarsely-toothed leaves range from 4–18 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide. It is monoecious, with both terminal and axillary racemes consisting of staminate heads occurring above their pistillate counterparts. Flowering occurs mainly in February through April. The fruits are 10–15 mm burs covered with hooked spines.[2]

Somewhat similar in appearance to Ambrosia ilicifolia, A. ilicifolia has sessile leaves with a reticulate pattern of veins, and the marginal teeth developed into short spines.[2]

This ragweed can be found in sandy washes and other disturbed areas such as roadsides, and is sometimes seen growing in rock crevices.[2]

The Seri people smoked its dried leaves, and used the roots to make medicinal teas and pigments.[6]

References
  1. The Plant List Ambrosia ambrosioides (Cav.) W.W.Payne
  2. Flora of North America Vol. 21 Page 12 Ambrosia ambrosioides (Delpino) W. W. Payne, J. Arnold Arbor. 45: 410. 1964.
  3. Raymond M. Turner, Janice E. Bowers, and Tony L. Burgess, Sonoran desert plants: an ecological atlas (Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 1995) pp. 75–76
  4. Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
  5. Calflora taxon report, University of California, Ambrosia ambrosioides (Cav.) Payne, ambrosia bursage, ambrosia leaved burbush
  6. Felger, Richard; Mary B. Moser. (1985). People of the desert and sea: ethnobotany of the Seri Indians. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.


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