Hazardia is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae (order Asterales), native to western North America. The genus comprises roughly 11 accepted species of short, hardy perennials and small leafy shrubs that grow primarily in California and on the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico, with a few species reaching into Oregon and Nevada and several occurring on offshore Pacific islands including Santa Cruz Island, San Clemente Island, and Guadalupe Island.
Plants in this genus are sometimes called bristleweeds or goldenbushes. They produce yellow flowers, and the genus shows variation in floral structure: some species bear both ray and disc florets, giving them a somewhat daisy-like appearance, while others produce only disc florets. Leaves are often sharply toothed, a trait reflected in common names such as sawtooth goldenbush (Hazardia squarrosa). The genus belongs to the tribe Astereae within Asteraceae.
Hazardia was named in honour of Barclay Hazard (1852–1938), an amateur botanist based in Santa Barbara, California. Notable members include Hazardia squarrosa (sawtooth goldenbush) of southern California, the island endemic Hazardia detonsa (island bristleweed) of Santa Cruz Island, and Hazardia berberidis, found in Baja California.
Etymology
The genus Hazardia was named in honour of Barclay Hazard (1852–1938), an amateur botanist from Santa Barbara, California, who contributed to knowledge of the regional flora.
Distribution
Hazardia is native to the western United States and northwestern Mexico, with its centre of diversity in California and the Baja California Peninsula. Several species are restricted to offshore Pacific islands, including Santa Cruz Island, San Clemente Island, and Guadalupe Island. A few species extend north into Oregon and east into Nevada.
