Lygodesmia juncea

{{Short description|Species of plant in the family Asteraceae}}

{{distinguish|text=Chondrilla juncea, the rush skeletonweed}}

{{Speciesbox

|image=Lygodesmia juncea.jpg

|image_caption=Close-up of flower

|status = {{TNCStatus}}

|status_system = TNC

|genus=Lygodesmia

|species=juncea

|authority=(Pursh) D.Don ex Hook.

|synonyms_ref=

|synonyms=

• Lygodesmia juncea {{small|D.Don}}
• Lygodesmia juncea var. racemosa {{small|Lunell}}
• Prenanthes juncea {{small|Pursh}}

}}

Lygodesmia juncea, the rush skeletonplant or just skeletonweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the western and central United States and western Canada.{{cite POWO |id=231357-1 |title=Lygodesmia juncea (Pursh) D.Don ex Hook. |access-date=24 January 2022 }} Widespread and considered somewhat weedy, it is adapted to blowing or otherwise disturbed soils, but not to fire.{{cite journal |title=Impacts of wildfire on soil hydrological properties of steep sagebrush-steppe rangeland |year=2002 |last1=Pierson |first1=F.B. |last2=Carlson |first2=D.H. |last3=Spaeth |first3=K.E. |journal=International Journal of Wildland Fire |volume=11 |issue=2 |page=145 |doi=10.1071/WF02037 }} It is a perennial herb. Petals are pink or violet in color and flowers bloom June to September.{{Cite web |title=Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin |url=https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LYJU |access-date=2022-03-14 |website=www.wildflower.org}}