common skeletonweed

Lygodesmia juncea is a perennial herb with deep taproots and woody rhizomes. It grows in clumps, reaching 10-35 cm in height, and has green, glaucous, and strongly striate stems that are often much branched. The leaves are linear and glabrous, with the basal ones absent at flowering. The plant produces 1-50+ heads in corymbiform arrays, with cylindrical involucres and pink to lavender corollas. It blooms from June to September and is adapted to disturbed soils. The plant is widespread in western and central North America and is considered somewhat weedy.