Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix squalida
Snake's head desert-dandelion, Snake's-head
island malacothrix, island or Santa Cruz desertdandelion, Santa Cruz desertdandelion
1–6, ascending or erect, simple or branched proximally and distally, glaucous or glabrous.
1–3+, ascending to erect (stout), branched from bases and distally, ± leafy, glabrous.
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 obovate to oblanceolate, pinnately lobed (lobes 2–6 pairs), not fleshy, ultimate margins entire or dentate, faces glabrous;
distal not notably reduced (narrowly ovate with 5–10 narrow teeth or lobes).
hemispheric, 10–22+ × 6–22+ mm.
narrowly to broadly campanulate, 9–12 × 4–10 mm.
densely bristly.
usually not bristly.
85–257;
corollas usually pale yellow, sometimes white, 8–12 mm;
outer ligules exserted 2–5 mm.
39–133;
corollas light yellow, 12–19 mm;
outer ligules exserted 6–11 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.
31–49 in 5–6+ series (midstripes green or reddish), broadly ovate (outermost) to lance-oblong or lance-linear, unequal, hyaline margins 0.6–1 mm wide, faces glabrous.
0.
0.
± 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 or columnar, 1.3–2.1 mm, ribs extending to (and just beyond) apices, 5 more prominent than others;
pappi persistent, of 15–20, irregular, ± deltate teeth (often hidden by apices of cypselae) plus 0(–1) bristles.
70–100% 3-porate.
70–100% 4-porate.
= 14.
= 28.
Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix squalida
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 squalida is known only from Middle Anacapa and Santa Cruz islands.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
