Baccharis (pronounced /ˈbækərɪs/) is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the family Asteraceae. They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are not at all related to these however, but belong to an entirely different lineage of eudicots. B. halimifolia is commonly known as "groundsel bush", and in fact Baccharis is in the same family as the true groundsels, Senecio.
Baccharis, with over 500 species, is the largest genus in the Compositae. It is found throughout the Americas, distributed mainly in the warmer regions of Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Mexico. Some species are toxic to animals, in particular B. coridifolia may lead to necrosis in the gastrointestinal tract of cattle, horses, sheep and rabbits. The genus is named after Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.
If present, the leaves are borne along the stems in alternate fashion. Flowers are usually white or pinkish. There are no ray flowers, but many disk flowers (which are staminate) and pistillate flowers.
