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Sturla, Gene

Malacothrix glabrata

Malacothrix glabrata (A. Gray ex D.C. Eaton) A. Gray

Smooth Desertdandelion, Desert-dandelion

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s): Malacothrix californica var. glabrata

USDA Symbol: MAGL3

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A smooth plant with a few pinnately divided leaves and pale yellow flower heads on branched stems.

In wet years this showy wildflower will form masses of yellow in sandy deserts.

From the Image Gallery

67 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 16 inches tall.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun
Bloom Notes: Pale yellow, sometimes white.

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , ID , NM , NV , OR , UT
Native Distribution: Southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon to southern California, much of Arizona, and northwestern Mexico.
Native Habitat: Sandy desert, plains, and washes.

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2025-02-11
Research By: TWC Staff

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