dunedelion
Malacothrix incana (Nutt.) Torr. & A.Gray
Malacothrix incana, known as dunedelion, is a perennial plant in the Asteraceae family. It is endemic to California, growing in sand dunes on the Channel Islands and along the coast in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties. The plant is a mounding shrub with wooly leaves and was first collected in San Diego, though it is now extirpated from that area. It was first described in 1843.
Description
Malacothrix incana is a perennial plant reaching 12-70 cm in height, often forming a mounded shape. It has a single stem, branched both near the base and upper parts, and is typically tomentose. Leaves vary in shape, with proximal leaves obovate to spatulate, sometimes lobed or fleshy. The involucres are 10-14 mm long, with 16-30 phyllaries in 2-3 series. Florets are yellow, with 47-99 per head. Cypselae are 1.5-2.2 mm long, with persistent pappi absent. The species is diploid with 2n = 14 chromosomes.
Other common names
dunedelion
Distribution
California
Synonyms
Malacomeris incanusMalacothrix incana var. succulentaMalacothrix succulentaMalacothrix incana var. incana
