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Malacothrix coulteri

Malacothrix coulteri Harv. & A. Gray

Snake's Head, Snakehead

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s): Malacothrix coulteri var. cognata, Zollikoferia elquiensis

USDA Symbol: MACO3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Pale, smooth, branched stems with most leaves near base and pale yellow flower heads at tips; sap milky.

The flower head of this species has broad round bracts with parchment-like edges and a purplish or greenish central band that resembles a serpent's scales, and the bud resembles a fanciful snake head, hence the common name. Among similar species, Yellow Tackstem (Calycoseris parryi) has small, tack-shaped glands on the bracts and upper stem, and Scalebud (Anisocoma acaulis) has seed-like fruits with feathery bristles at the tip, the outer bristles half the length of the inner bristles.

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , NV , UT
Native Distribution: Central California south to Baja California and east to southwestern Utah and southern Arizona.
Native Habitat: Open flats and hills in grasslands or deserts.

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Malacothrix coulteri in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Malacothrix coulteri in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Malacothrix coulteri

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-12-29
Research By: TWC Staff

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