Kingdom Plantae Tribe Cichorieae Scientific name Malacothrix glabrata Order Asterales | Family Asteraceae Genus Malacothrix Rank Species | |
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Similar Malacothrix, Chaenactis fremontii, Rafinesquia neomexicana, Phacelia crenulata, Cryptantha angustifolia | ||
Malacothrix glabrata (smooth desert dandelion or desert dandelion) is an annual plant in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). It is common to the southwestern deserts of North America and has showy pale-yellow to white flowers. The name "glabrata" refers to the leaves being (nearly) hairless. Like other members of its genus, it has a milky sap and flower heads composed of smaller strap-like flowers called "ligules".
The species is native to the western United States, excluding much of the Pacific Northwest, and into northern Mexico. It is a dicot.
M. glabrata is typically 5 to 15 inches (13 to 38 cm) tall with a 1.5-to-2.5-inch (3.8 to 6.4 cm) flower head. Its fragrant, daisy-like flower heads are in shades of yellow or white, and flower heads may have an orange to red "button" in the center of the flower head, composed of several immature flowers.
