Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix torreyi
Snake's head desert-dandelion, Snake's-head
Mohave aster, Torrey's desert dandelion, Torrey's malacothrix
1–6, ascending or erect, simple or branched proximally and distally, glaucous or glabrous.
1–5+, erect to ascending, branched from bases and distally, sparsely leafy, usually ± stipitate-glandular, sometimes sparsely arachnose or glabrous (sometimes glaucous).
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 oblong, usually pinnately lobed (lobes 3–8 pairs, oblong or triangular to linear, apices obtuse to acute), ± fleshy, ultimate margins dentate, faces usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely arachnose;
distal reduced (± elliptic, then pinnately lobed, to linear, bases narrowly cuneate, margins usually dentate, sometimes entire).
hemispheric, 10–22+ × 6–22+ mm.
± campanulate, 8–14 × 4–5 mm.
densely bristly.
sparsely bristly.
85–257;
corollas usually pale yellow, sometimes white, 8–12 mm;
outer ligules exserted 2–5 mm.
58–93;
corollas medium yellow, 14–20 mm;
outer ligules exserted 7–10 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.
12–20+ in 2–3 series, lance-oblong to lance-linear (apices acuminate), hyaline margins 0.05–0.3 mm wide, faces glabrous or stipitate-glandular.
0.
of 8–12+, lance-ovate to lanceolate bractlets, hyaline margins 0.5–0.2 mm wide (faces 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, 2.5–4 mm, ribs extending to or beyond apices, 5 more prominent than others (often winglike);
pappi persistent, of 12–15 blunt teeth plus 0–6 bristles.
70–100% 3-porate.
70–100% 3-porate.
= 14.
= 14.
Malacothrix coulteri
Malacothrix torreyi
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 torreyi grows primarily in the Great Basin Desert (in the Inyo Mountains and Modoc Plateau, California), and throughout the Intermountain Region in Arizona (Grand Canyon Plateau), Nevada (Central Great Basin, Uintah and Henry mountains, Flaming Gorge area near Pyramid Lake), Utah (northern), Idaho (Snake River Plateau), Wyoming (Ft. Steele, Green River), and Oregon (Steen Mountains, Owyhee Desert).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
