Monday, October 2, 2023

Mossier's False Boneset - Brickellia mosieri





Mosier's false boneset (Brickellia mosieri) is an herbaceous perennial wildflower endemic to a small area of pine rockland habitat in Miami-Dade County. It is listed as a state and federal endangered species. 

A relative of the much showier Flyr's nemesis (B. cordifolia), Mosier's false boneset is a thin-stemmed evergreen plant that stands 1-3 feet tall.  The stems are grooved and very finely pubescent.  The thin linear leaves alternate along these stems and are up to 1 inch long.  As the photo above shows, they typically droop downwards and have a distinctive twist.  

Flowering occurs year-round. The small whitish petals are mostly hidden by the cream-colored anthers that extrude from each flower head.  These are produced in succession along the stems as the plant grows upward.  As they ripen, the seeds (achenes) occur in the axils and are dispersed via the fluffy white pappuses attached to each.

Mosier's false boneset is a very rare plant and rare in cultivation as well.  I was given a few seeds (legal) by a friend and it has proven to be quite easy to propagate.  As such, I hope to be able to offer it to others in the future.  This is a connoisseur plant that is interesting, but not especially valuable as an extra addition to a pollinator garden. I do not know its sensitivity to freezing temperatures.  

 

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