Malacothrix glabrata

{{Speciesbox

| image = desert_dandelion.jpg

| genus = Malacothrix_(plant)

| species = glabrata

| authority = (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 {{convert|5|to|15|in|cm|round=5|order=flip|abbr=on}} tall. The leaves are {{Convert|6.5-12.5|cm|abbr=on|frac=2}} long, with stringy lobes.{{Cite book |last=Spellenberg |first=Richard |url=https://archive.org/details/nationalaudubons00spel/page/387/ |title=National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region |publisher=Knopf |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-375-40233-3 |edition=rev. |pages=388 |orig-date=1979}} The fragrant flower heads are {{convert|2.5 to 6.5|cm|frac=4|abbr=on}} wide, composed of smaller yellow to white strap-like flowers called "ligules".Morhardt, Sia; Morhardt, Emil (2004). California Desert Wildflowers, University of California Press, pp. 64–65 In the center of the flower head may be an orange to red "button", composed of several immature flowers.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}}

{{gallery|mode=packed

|Desert dandelion Malacothrix glabrata by root close.jpg|Flower and leaves

|Smooth Desert dandelion.jpg|Flower close-up

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Taxonomy

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

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.

{{gallery|mode=packed

|Malacothrix glabrata.jpg|Pinto Valley, Joshua Tree National Park, California

|Desert Dandelion and Desert Pincushion, Joshua Tree.jpg|Desert dandelions and desert pincushions, Joshua Tree

|Malacothrix glabrata 03-08-09.jpg|Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

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References

External links

[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,1600,1606 Jepson Manual Treatment]
[http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MAGL3 USDA Plants Profile]
[http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=5330 CalFlora]
[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250067149 Flora of North America]
[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Malacothrix+glabrata Photo gallery]

glabrata