Species Detail Forb

Flower head		Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants Malacothrix fendleri - Fendler's desert dandelion Other Common Names: Fendler's dandelion, desert dandelion Plant Form: Forb or Subshrub Family: Asteraceae
Flower head


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Basal leaves Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)	Plant Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)

Forb Plant Description

Origin: Native Life Cycle: Annual
General Desc: Low, basal cluster of lobed, pinnate leaves. Plant stems may be along ground or along ground and then ascending. Yellow flowers at the end of branched stems are dandelion-like.
Identification notes: Spreading or ascending sparingly branched annual; leaves mostly in a basal tuft, spaculate in shape, deeply lobed to pinnatifid; flower heads are yellow ray flowers borne at the tips of sparsely leafy branches; ray flowers are purplish on the underside.
Height: 1 to 6 inches

Habitat

Habitat Description: Foothills, sandy plains and mesas. Grasslands, pinyon-juniper woodlands and desert scrub (cresote associations).
Plant Communities: Desert Scrub, Interior Chaparral, Semidesert Grasslands, Pinyon Juniper Woodland
Elevation: 2000 - 5000 feet

Flower Characteristics

Color: Yellow Shape: Daisy or dandelion-like not in clusters Tubular: N Flowering Period: Mar - Jun
Description: Flower heads are 1 to 1-1/2 inches wide consisting of many yellow, notched ray petals. The backs of the petals are washed with purple or lavendar.

Leaf and Stem Characteristics

Leaf Color: Grayish-green Leaf Type: Simple Leaf Shape: Pinnatifid Leaf Margin: Smooth Leaf Attachment: Basal Leaves Clasp: N
Hairs: No Spines: N
Leaf Description: Basal leaves are lobed to pinnatifid, 1 to 3 inches long. Stems are without hairs but may have a waxy coating.

Fruit and Seed Characteristics

Fruit Color: Dark brown
Fruit Type: Achene
Seed Notes: Cylindric, evenly ribbed or striate, topped with white bristles.


	Arizona Cooperative Extension Yavapai County 840 Rodeo Dr #C Prescott, AZ 86305 (928) 445-6590	Version 8.0 http://cales.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/SpeciesDetailForb.php Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022 Content Questions/Comments: Email Matt Halldorson Legal Disclaimer