Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix saxatilis
Snake's head desert-dandelion, Snake's-head
cliff aster, cliff desert dandelion
1–6, ascending or erect, simple or branched proximally and distally, glaucous or glabrous.
1 (from rhizomes) or 2–3+ (from caudices), usually erect (sometimes relatively thick), branched mostly distally (usually relatively leafy proximally, sometimes sparsely leafy distally), glabrous or sparsely arachnose to tomentose.
proximal linear to obovate, sometimes pinnately lobed, not fleshy, ultimate margins entire or dentate, faces glabrous;
distal reduced (ovate to lanceolate, rarely pinnately lobed, bases clasping).
proximal (somewhat thick, usually withering early) elliptic, oblanceolate, lanceolate, or linear (sometimes 1–2-pinnately lobed, lobes lanceolate or linear to filiform, sometimes antrorse, bases usually tapering), ultimate margins entire or dentate to denticulate, faces glabrous or ± arachnose to tomentose;
distal reduced.
hemispheric, 10–22+ × 6–22+ mm.
± campanulate, 9–12(–16+) × 6–8(–12+) mm.
densely bristly.
not bristly.
85–257;
corollas usually pale yellow, sometimes white, 8–12 mm;
outer ligules exserted 2–5 mm.
41–100;
corollas white (usually each with abaxial purple stripe), 13–20 mm;
outer ligules exserted 8–14 mm.
(25–)40–60+ in 4–6+ series, (midstripes usually reddish or purple) orbiculate to ovate, oblong, lance-oblong, or linear, unequal, hyaline margins 1–2.5 mm wide, faces glabrous.
18–30+ in 2–3 series, lanceolate or linear to subulate, hyaline margins 0.05–0.2 mm wide, faces glabrous or ± arachnose and glabrescent.
0.
of 12–18(–30), lanceolate to subulate bractlets, hyaline margins 0.05–0.2 mm.
± prismatic, 1.6–3.2 mm, ribs extending beyond apices, 5 more prominent than others;
persistent pappi of 20–25+, blunt teeth plus 2–6 bristles.
± prismatic, 1.4–2.5 mm, ribs extending to apices (± muriculate at 30x), 5 more prominent than others;
pappi persistent, of fimbriate crowns or 20–25, blunt teeth (0.01–0.1 mm).
70–100% 3-porate.
70–100% 3-porate.
= 14.
= 18.
Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix saxatilis
Variety cognata, indistinguishable in floral characters from var. coulteri and differing in cauline leaves parted almost to midribs, occurs at some mainland sites in southern California and has been collected on the Channel Islands. In California, Malacothrix coulteri grows in the San Joaquin Valley, central western areas, western Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Mojave Desert. In Arizona, it grows in the Sonoran Desert in the Santa Rita and Tucson mountains, and similar places.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Varieties 5 (5 in the flora).
The Malacothrix saxatilis complex is taxonomically difficult. The varieties intergrade morphologically in leaf shape, indument, blooming time, and growth cycle, depending on relative habitat conditions such as elevation, soil, and temperature regime. Hybridization may occur between varieties where they are sympatric. In addition, arrays of heads in early bloom may be described as congested (peduncles relatively short) and as open (peduncles relatively long) on the same plant at the end of the season.
Varieties commutata, arachnoidea, and saxatilis are similar in leaf morphology; var. arachnoidea is distinguished from var. commutata mainly by its tomentose herbage; var. saxatilis differs from the other two varieties in minor details of leaf morphology and in its area of distribution; var. implicata is the most distinctive variety; and var. tenuifolia differs from the others primarily in cauline leaf morphology, which is quite variable. Variety altissima has been described as similar to vars. arachnoidea and commutata and different from vars. saxatilis, implicata, and tenuifolia in growth habit. It is similar in leaf morphology to var. tenuifolia but differs from vars. arachnoidea, commutata, implicata, and saxatilis. Here, var. altissima is subsumed in var. tenuifolia.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Cauline leaves usually 1- or 2-pinnately lobed | → 2 |
1. Cauline leaves usually not lobed | → 3 |
2. Stems relatively densely leafy distally; cauline leaves mostly (1–)2-pinnately lobed (lobes linear to filiform); California Channel Islands | var. implicata |
2. Stems relatively sparsely leafy distally; cauline leaves 1-pinnately lobed or (distalmost) not lobed (linear to filiform, entire) | var. tenuifolia |
3. Distal cauline leaves usually ovate to linear, apices usually obtuse; coastal bluffs, south slopes of Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Bar- bara County | var. saxatilis |
3. Distal cauline leaves broadly lance-linear or lanceolate to elliptic, apices usually acute; north slopes of Transverse and Coast ranges to Monterey County | → 4 |
4. Herbage tomentose | var. arachnoidea |
4. Herbage glabrous or ± arachnose | var. commutata |
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
