Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix sonchoides
Snake's head desert-dandelion, Snake's-head
sow-thistle desertdandelion, sow-thistle malacothrix, yellow-saucers
1–6, ascending or erect, simple or branched proximally and distally, glaucous or glabrous.
1–5, ascending to erect, branched near bases and distally, usually glabrous (sometimes glaucous), rarely stipitate-glandular.
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 narrowly oblong to elliptic, pinnately lobed (lobes 3–8+ pairs, oblong to triangular, ± equal, apices obtuse to acute), ± fleshy, ultimate margins dentate to denticulate, faces glabrous;
distal reduced (narrowly triangular to linear, bases ± dilated, ± clasping).
hemispheric, 10–22+ × 6–22+ mm.
± campanulate to hemispheric, 7–13 × 4–6(–12+) mm.
densely bristly.
bristly.
85–257;
corollas usually pale yellow, sometimes white, 8–12 mm;
outer ligules exserted 2–5 mm.
75–115;
corollas lemon yellow, 10–14(–16) mm;
outer ligules exserted 6–10(–13) 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.
0.
of 8–12+, ovate to lanceolate bractlets, hyaline margins 0.05–0.3(–0.7) mm wide, usually glabrous (margins sometimes stipitate-glandular).
± 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, 1.8–3 mm, ribs extending to apices, ± equal or 5 more prominent than others;
pappi persistent, crenate crowns of 15–25+, blunt or rounded teeth.
70–100% 3-porate.
70–100% 3-porate.
= 14.
= 14.
Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix sonchoides
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.)
Malacothrix sonchoides grows in California in the Mojave Desert (Los Angeles, Kern, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties), the Great Basin Desert (Inyo Mountains), and barely enters the northern margins of the Sonoran Desert. It also grows in the Intermountain Region in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
SW CO Wildflowers
