Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix similis
Snake's head desert-dandelion, Snake's-head
Mexican malacothrix, twin desertdandelion
1–6, ascending or erect, simple or branched proximally and distally, glaucous or glabrous.
1–11, erect or ascending, branched mostly proximally, glabrous or sparsely arachnose to puberulent and glabrescent.
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 mostly lance-linear, sometimes pinnately lobed, not fleshy, ultimate margins dentate or entire, faces glabrous or sparsely arachnose to puberulent and glabrescent;
distal reduced subentire.
hemispheric, 10–22+ × 6–22+ mm.
narrowly campanulate, 6–10 × 3–6 mm.
densely bristly.
not bristly.
85–257;
corollas usually pale yellow, sometimes white, 8–12 mm;
outer ligules exserted 2–5 mm.
32–73: corollas yellow, 4–9 mm;
outer ligules exserted 2–4 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.
18–21+ in ± 2 series, lance-linear to linear, ± equal, hyaline margins 0.05–0.2 mm wide, faces glabrous.
0.
of 8–12+ lance-deltate to lanceolate bractlets, hyaline margins 0.05–0.3 mm wide.
± 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.
± cylindro-fusiform to prismatic, 1.4–1.7 mm, ribs extending to apices, 5 more prominent than others;
pappi persistent, of ca. 18, irregular needlelike teeth plus 1 bristle.
70–100% 3-porate.
mostly 4-porate (mean diam. 30 µm).
= 14.
= 28.
Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix similis
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.)
Of conservation concern.
Malacothrix similis has been collected on Santa Cruz Island (in 1888) and at Hueneme Beach (in 1925).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
