Malacothrix glabrata

Malacothrix glabrata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Malacothrix
Species:	M. glabrata
Binomial name
	Malacothrix glabrata; (A.Gray ex D.C.Eaton) A.Gray

Malacothrix glabrata, commonly known as the smooth desert dandelion or desert dandelion, is an annual plant with yellow flowers that appears in western North America.

Description

Like other members of its genus, Malacothrix glabrata has a milky sap and daisy-like flower heads. The plants grow to 15 to 40 cm (5 to 15 in) tall. The leaves are 6.5–12.5 cm (2+1⁄2–5 in) long, with stringy lobes.^[1] The fragrant flower heads are 2.5 to 6.5 cm (1 to 2+1⁄2 in) wide,^[1] composed of smaller yellow to white strap-like flowers called "ligules".^[2] In the center of the flower head may be an orange to red "button", composed of several immature flowers.^[3]

Flower and leaves
Flower close-up

Taxonomy

It is a dicot in the family Asteraceae.^[2] The name "glabrata" refers to the leaves being (nearly) hairless.^[2]

Distribution and habitat

The species is native to the western United States, excluding much of the Pacific Northwest, and into northern Mexico. It is common to the southwestern deserts of North America.^[2]

Pinto Valley, Joshua Tree National Park, California
Desert dandelions and desert pincushions, Joshua Tree
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

References

^ ^a ^b Spellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev. ed.). Knopf. p. 388. ISBN 978-0-375-40233-3.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Morhardt, Sia; Morhardt, Emil (2004). California Desert Wildflowers, University of California Press, pp. 64–65
^ Susan J. Wernert, Reader's Digest Association, Brenda Jackson. North American Wildlife: An Illustrated Guide to 2,000 Plants and Animals. Reader's Digest, 1998. p.467. ISBN 0-7621-0020-6

External links

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[audu-1] Spellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev. ed.). Knopf. p. 388. ISBN 978-0-375-40233-3.

[CDF-2] Morhardt, Sia; Morhardt, Emil (2004). California Desert Wildflowers, University of California Press, pp. 64–65

[3] Susan J. Wernert, Reader's Digest Association, Brenda Jackson. North American Wildlife: An Illustrated Guide to 2,000 Plants and Animals. Reader's Digest, 1998. p.467. ISBN 0-7621-0020-6

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