slgwv's photos with the keyword: rabbitbrush

Ruins of a cabin in the Seven Troughs Range, Pershing County, Nevada. There are various abandoned mines and mining equipment around, mostly dating to the early 20th century, and this is undoubtedly related. This ruin has gotten more and more decrepit over the 20-odd years I've been going out to this area. The scruffy shrub with small gray-green leaves and the orangish spikes is sagebrush ( Artemisia spp., probably A. tridentada ), and the one with the tiny yellow blossoms just peeking in at the right is rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus spp., probably C. viscidiflorus ).. There was a burst of new exploration activity in this area in 2012, but so far nothing's come of it.

Crossing the Hot Creek Range in northern Nye County, Nevada. Unfortunately, the canyon is private so there's no hiking allowed, but at least the road thru is open. The shrub with the tiny yellow blossoms on the left is rabbitbrush, an allergen right up there with ragweed.

Toquima Range, central Nevada, USA.

Hah-CHOO! Chrysothamnus spp., probably Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus . A common shrub in the sagebrush steppe that flowers in late summer and early fall, and for many people (including yours truly) is right up there with ragweed as an allergen. As the flowers ripen later in the fall the bright yellow color fades. It's an important colonizer species. This particular specimen is off the road to Cow Canyon in the southern Toiyabe Range, Nevada, but it's _everywhere_. We have some in our yard!

Seven Troughs range. Looking southeast. Rabbitbrush ( Chrysothamnus spp.) is one of the dominant shrubs in the high desert, occurring along with sagebrush especially on the mountain slopes. It turns bright yellow in the early fall as it blooms(!), then gets duller as the seeds set and drop off. It's a major forage plant for wildlife in this part of the world. (It also is a major allergen, about like ragweed!) Photo taken by my son out that side of the car!