Malacothrix coulteri

Harvey & A. Gray

Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts Sci., n. s. 4: 113. 1849.

Common names: Snake’s head desertdandelion snake’s head
Endemic
Synonyms: Malacolepis coulteri (Harvey & A. Gray) A. Heller Malacothrix coulteri var. cognata Jepson Zollikoferia elquiensis
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 19. Treatment on page 314. Mentioned on page 311.

Annuals, 10–60 cm. Stems 1–6, ascending or erect, simple or branched proximally and distally, glaucous or glabrous. Cauline leaves: proximal linear to obovate, sometimes pinnately lobed, not fleshy, ultimate margins entire or dentate, faces glabrous; distal reduced (ovate to lanceolate, rarely pinnately lobed, bases clasping). Calyculi 0. Involucres hemispheric, 10–22+ × 6–22+ mm. Phyllaries (25–) 40–60+ in 4–6+ series, (midstripes usually reddish or purple) orbiculate to ovate, oblong, lance-oblong, or linear, unequal, hyaline margins 1–2.5 mm wide, faces glabrous. Receptacles densely bristly. Florets 85–257; corollas usually pale-yellow, sometimes white, 8–12 mm; outer ligules exserted 2–5 mm. Cypselae ± prismatic, 1.6–3.2 mm, ribs extending beyond apices, 5 more prominent than others; persistent pappi of 20–25+, blunt teeth plus 2–6 bristles. Pollen 70–100% 3-porate. 2n = 14.


Phenology: Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat: Sandy, open areas in coastal sage, grasslands, deserts
Elevation: 100–1800 m

Distribution

V19-466-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah, South America (Argentina), South America (Chile)

Discussion

Variety cognata, indistinguishable in floral characters from var. coulteri and differing in cauline leaves parted almost to midribs, occurs at some mainland sites in southern California and has been collected on the Channel Islands. In California, Malacothrix coulteri grows in the San Joaquin Valley, central western areas, western Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Mojave Desert. In Arizona, it grows in the Sonoran Desert in the Santa Rita and Tucson mountains, and similar places.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"fine" is not a number."]" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Malacothrix coulteri"
obtuse;acute or acuminate +
scarious +
ovate +  and lanceolate +
corymbiform +  and paniculiform +
indeterminate +  and determinate +
W. S. Davis +
Harvey & A. Gray +
decurrent +
compound +  and simple +
lanceolate;obovate oblanceolate or spatulate +
tuberculate +, rugose +, muricate +  and smooth +
less deltate or lanceolate;linear or subulate +
subequal +  and unequal +
filiform +
Snake’s head desertdandelion +  and snake’s head +
zygomorphic +, actinomorphic +  and (3-)5-merous +
white +  and pale-yellow +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
crenate +
stramineous +  and brown or purplish brown +
prismatic +
Ariz. +, Calif. +, Nev. +, Utah +, South America (Argentina) +  and South America (Chile) +
100–1800 m +
winged +  and beaked +
dispersed +
Sandy, open areas in coastal sage, grasslands, deserts +
indeterminate +
each +  and sessile +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2.2 cm22 mm <br />0.022 m <br />) +
hemispheric +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (2.2 cm22 mm <br />0.022 m <br />) +
cauline +  and basal +
divided +, lobed +  and dentate +
1mm +  and 2.5mm +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
2-carpellate +
persistent +
Flowering Mar–May. +
connate +  and distinct +
40 +  and 60 +
Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts Sci., n. s. +
flat;more or less convex +
more prominent +
crenate +
exalbuminous +
branched +  and simple +
erect +  and ascending +
glabrous +  and glaucous +
1 +  and 6 +
appendaged +  and truncate +
papillate +
Malacolepis coulteri +, Malacothrix coulteri var. cognata +  and Zollikoferia elquiensis +
Malacothrix coulteri +
Malacothrix +
species +
70 cm700 mm <br />0.7 m <br /> (200 cm2,000 mm <br />2 m <br />) +
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
shrub +  and subshrub +