Brittlebush
Encelia farinosa
​Coachella Valley, California
The Cahuilla Native Americans used brittlebush to treat toothaches, and heated the gum found in the stems to apply to the chest for pain relief.  This plant is also called "incienso", after the golden sap once used as incense in Mexican churches.  In the summertime, when the soil turns hot and dry, a new set of leaves with a coat of white hairs appears to block out some of the sun's rays and keep the leaves from over-heating so that the plant can manufacture the sugars needed for growth.  This is why the brittlebush is so plentiful and successful in the hottest, driest parts of the desert.
Source:  Janice Emily Bowers - One Hundred Desert Wildflowers of the Southwest

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