brittlebush
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encelia
Yellow daisy-like flowers, mild painkiller, used for toothaches, arthritic pain, mild analgesic. Common desert shrub with brittle stems. (sometimes called Brittlebush). up to 3 ft (1m). Yellow brown resin collected from the base of the plant can be heated and used as glue. A different, more fragrant, gummy sort of clear yellow resin is collected from the upper stems, used as chewing gum or to seal pottery vessels. Smells similar to frankenscense. Branch can be used as a toothbrush by peeling off the bitter bark, no need for toothpaste. Leaves triangular, simple, alternate; silvery, gray or whitish.
Edible Plant Guide © 2012 Markus Rothkranz