Malacothrix saxatilis var. commutata

Cliff desertdandelion

Family: Asteraceae · Type: perennial · Native

Cliff desertdandelion is a California native perennial found in southern Sierra Nevada foothills, Tehachapi, southern Coast Ranges, southern California Coast, and western Transverse Ranges in crumbling shale canyons, chaparral, and foothill woodland at elevations of 200 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from May to August, occasionally into October, this plant produces white to yellow flowers in dense clusters. Growing with leafy stems from a rhizome or caudex, reaching moderate heights, it has a glabrous to slightly hairy appearance. Its leaves are distinctively lanceolate to elliptic, with entire margins and acute tips, creating a delicate green backdrop for the flower heads. In rocky, dry habitats, this perennial demonstrates remarkable adaptation to challenging terrain.

Habitat: Crumbling shale, canyons, chaparral, foothill woodland

Bloom period: May-Aug(Oct)

Elevation: 200-1600 m

Bioregions: s SNF, Teh, SCoR, SCo, WTR.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.