Carolina desert-chicory

Pyrrhopappus carolinianus is an annual plant that may sometimes persist. It typically grows between 20-50 cm tall, with branching stems and lanceolate leaves. The plant produces 1-5 flower heads in a loose, corymbiform arrangement. The involucres are cylindrical to bell-shaped, and the phyllaries number 16-21. The florets range from 50-150, with anthers measuring 2.5-3.5 mm. The cypselae are reddish brown, 4-6 mm in body length, with beaks of 8-10 mm and pappi of 7-10+ mm. Chromosome number is 2n = 12.