Annuals, 3-15(-25+) cm. Stems (1-)3-8, ± decumbent or spreading-ascending, branched proximally and distally, glaucous or glabrous. Cauline leaves: proximal elliptic to oblong-oblanceolate, sometimes pinnately lobed (lobes 2-4+ pairs, oblong to triangular, unequal, apices acute), not fleshy, ultimate margins usually dentate, faces glabrous; distal reduced (narrowly triangular to linear or filiform, margins dentate or entire). Calyculi of 5-12, ovate to lanceolate bractlets, hyaline margins 0.05-0.2 mm wide. Involucres ± campanulate, 7-10 × 5-6+ mm. Phyllaries 13-25+ in 2-3 series, lance-oblong or lanceolate to lance-linear, subequal, hyaline margins 0.05-0.3 mm wide, faces glabrous. Receptacles not bristly. Florets 16-88; corollas yellow (usually with red or purplish abaxial stripes), 6-14 mm; outer ligules exserted 5-8 mm. Cypselae ± cylindric, 1.8-2.4 mm (distal 0.3 mm slightly expanded, cupped, smooth), ribs not extending to apices, ± equal; persistent pappi of 12-15, ± deltate teeth (often hidden within cups at apices of cypselae) plus 1-2 bristles. Pollen 70-100% 3-porate. 2n = 14. Flowering Mar-Jun. Grasslands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, creosote bush associations; 80-2200 m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora). Malacothrix fendleri grows in the Sonoran Desert. 'San Bernardino Co.' as locality for a specimen from the herbarium of J. G. Lemmon in UC (336493) is evidently an error.