Glyptopleura setulosa
Holy dandelion
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Glyptopleura setulosa (Holy dandelion) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by . Key features: narrow white crust-like leaf margins, outer phyllaries crust-like only at tips, cream to pale yellow ligules.
Holy dandelion is a California native annual found in the Mojave Desert on sandy desert flats, rocky soil, and arid grasslands at elevations of 400 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces cream to pale yellow flowers in small clusters with delicate ligules. Growing with short stems just 2 to 6 centimeters tall, it forms compact low-growing clusters across desert landscapes. Its leaves are relatively small, 1 to 6 centimeters long, with distinctive white, crust-like narrow margins that give the plant a distinctive pale appearance. The outer phyllary margins are notably crusted, particularly at their tips, creating a unique textural quality to this diminutive desert annual.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key features: narrow white crust-like leaf margins, outer phyllaries crust-like only at tips, cream to pale yellow ligules
Habitat and range
Habitat: Local on sandy desert flats, rocky soil, arid grassland, creosote-bush scrub
Elevation: 400-1400 m
Outside California: to Utah, Arizona
Bloom period
Glyptopleura setulosa blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Munzothamnus: Munzothamnus is a woody shrub; Glyptopleura is a low desert annual.; vs Hieracium: Hieracium is densely long-hairy; Glyptopleura has white-hardened leaf margins as the key feature.; vs Malacothrix: Malacothrix has soft leaf margins; Glyptopleura has distinctive white-hardened leaf edges.; vs Taraxacum: Taraxacum has soft-margined leaves; Glyptopleura has white-hardened cartilaginous leaf margins.; vs Agoseris: Agoseris has soft leaf margins; Glyptopleura has white-hardened leaf edges you can feel.
Frequently asked questions
Is Glyptopleura setulosa native to California?
Yes. Glyptopleura setulosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Glyptopleura setulosa bloom?
Glyptopleura setulosa blooms Mar-Jun.
What plant family does Glyptopleura setulosa belong to?
Glyptopleura setulosa is in the Asteraceae family, genus Glyptopleura.
What habitat does Glyptopleura setulosa grow in?
Glyptopleura setulosa grows in Local on sandy desert flats, rocky soil, arid grassland, creosote-bush scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.