Malacothrix fendleri
Fendler's desert dandelion
(1–)3–8, ± decumbent or spreading-ascending, branched proximally and distally, glaucous or glabrous.
proximal elliptic to oblong-oblanceolate, sometimes pinnately lobed (lobes 2–4+ pairs, oblong to triangular, unequal, apices acute), not fleshy, ultimate margins usually dentate, faces glabrous;
distal reduced (narrowly triangular to linear or filiform, margins dentate or entire).
± campanulate, 7–10 × 5–6+ mm.
not bristly.
16–88;
corollas yellow (usually with red or purplish abaxial stripes), 6–14 mm;
outer ligules exserted 5–8 mm.
13–25+ in 2–3 series, lance-oblong or lanceolate to lance-linear, subequal, hyaline margins 0.05–0.3 mm wide, faces glabrous.
of 5–12, ovate to lanceolate bractlets, hyaline margins 0.05–0.2 mm wide.
± cylindric, 1.8–2.4 mm (distal 0.3 mm slightly expanded, cupped, smooth), ribs not extending to apices, ± equal;
persistent pappi of 12–15, ± deltate teeth (often hidden within cups at apices of cypselae) plus 1–2 bristles.
70–100% 3-porate.
= 14.
Malacothrix fendleri
Malacothrix fendleri grows in the Sonoran Desert. “San Bernardino Co.” as locality for a specimen from the herbarium of J. G. Lemmon in UC (336493) is evidently an error.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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