Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Malacothrix sonchoides is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name sowthistle desertdandelion. It is native to much of the western United States, where it grows in sandy woodland and plateau habitat and along the edges of the deserts. It is an annual herb producing a hairless, waxy stem up to about 40 centimeters in maximum height. The fleshy leaves have wide toothed lobes along the edges. The flower cluster is an array of flower heads lined with sparsely hairy phyllaries. The ray florets are just over a centimeter long and generally bright yellow in color.

Plant type

Annual herb

Size

1 ft Tall

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow

Sun

Full Sun

Soil drainage

Fast

Site type

Sandy places

Plant communities

Creosote Bush Scrub, Joshua Tree Woodland

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 3 likely

Confirmed Likely

Alfalfa Looper Moth

Autographa californica

Cucullia comstocki

Heliolonche pictipennis