Asanthus is a small genus of in the family Asteraceae, found only in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.[D.J.N.Hind & H.E.Robinson. 2007. Tribe Eupatorieae In: The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants vol.VIII. (Joachim W.Kadereit & Charles Jeffrey, volume editors. Klaus Kubitzky, general editor). Springer-Verlag. Berlin, Heidelberg.][ Tropicos, Asanthus R.M. King & H. Rob.]
Each of the species was originally named as a member of Brickellia, and later transferred when King and Robinson named the genus.[R. M. King & H. Robinson. Phytologia 24(2): 66. 1972.] Asanthus and Brickellia both have cypsela (achenes) with 10 ribs, but in Asanthus the style is glabrous and narrow at the base whereas in Brickellia the style has a pubescent, enlarged base. Molecular phylogenetic analysis has provided support that the two genera represent phylogenetically distinct lineages and thus should be recognized as distinct.[Schilling, E. E., J. L. Panero, B. S. Crozier & P. Davila. 2013. Relationships of Asanthus (Asteraceae, Eupatorieae). Systematic Botany 38: 253-258.]
The genus is named for American botanist Asa Gray, 1810–1888. His name is added to the Greek language word "anthos" meaning "flower."[ Flora of North America, Asanthus R. M. King & H. Robinson]
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Asanthus solidaginifolius (A.Gray) R.M.King & H.Rob. - Chihuahua, Durango
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Asanthus squamulosus (A.Gray) R.M.King & H.Rob. - Chihuahua, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Arizona, New Mexico
[ Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness, Asanthus squamulosus (Gray) King & H.E. Robinson (Scaleleaf Brickellbush, Mule Mountain Brickellbush)]
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Asanthus thyrsiflorus (A.Gray) R.M.King & H.Rob. (misspelled as Asanthus thrysiflorus when first published)
[ King, Robert Merrill & Robinson, Harold Ernest. 1972. Studies in the Eupatorieae (Asteraceae) LXXIX: a new genus, Asanthus. Phytologia 24(2):65- 66] - San Luis Potosí, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Durango, Jalisco, Aguascalientes