This is a genus with about 35 shrubby species that are native to the arid, western United States and northern Mexico. They are known by the common names goldenbush, rabbitbrush, and turpentine bush. Stem are usually erect or ascending, bark is often tan to reddish brown, becoming gray. Twigs usually are green to gray or yellowish. Leaves are mostly evergreen, green to grayish; shape varies from elliptic to obovate, the base is wedge-shaped (cuneate) and margins entire. Flowers are bright yellow and adorn the plants in late summer. Systematic and phylogenetic investigations have resulted in the expansion of Ericameria to include certain taxa previously assigned to Chrysothamnus (e.g., C. nauseosus) well as taxa treated in Haplopappus.
Ericameria: Erica, common name, heath; meria, from Greek, meros, part or portion, alluding to resemblance of leaves to those of heath