Malacothrix squalida

Island malacothrix

Family: Asteraceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

Island malacothrix is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in the northern Channel Islands, specifically on Anacapa and Santa Cruz islands, in shallow soils and open areas between shrubs at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces light yellow flowers with exserted ligules 6 to 11 millimeters long in open clusters. Growing to 30 centimeters tall with stout, ascending to erect stems that are branched at and above the base, it appears somewhat glaucous and leafy. Its leaves are distinctive, with basal leaves widely lanceolate to ovate and sharply lobed, and proximal leaves having 4 to 8 sharp-toothed lobes. The fruit features prominent ribs extending slightly beyond its tip, with minute outer pappus and no bristles.

Habitat: Shallow soils, open areas between shrubs, on ridges

Bloom period: Mar-Jun

Elevation: < 200 m

Bioregions: n ChI (Anacapa, Santa Cruz islands).

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