Stems often prominently reddish purple. Phyllary margins proximally with sharply delimited, white-scarious portions, lacerate-ciliate at base. Disc floret corollas glabrous or nearly so. Pappi outer crowns of paleae or narrow squamellae 0.5-1 mm plus inner of 8-15 barbellate bristles, length ¹ / 2 - ¹ / 3 disc corollas. 2n = 16. Flowering Jan-May. Sandy or gravelly flats or washes, dunes; 100-900 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev.; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora).

Plant: Annual, generally prostrate; stems < 25 cm Leaves: 5-10 mm, alternate, often tufted below heads, generally linear, obtuse to subacute, entire INFLORESCENCE: heads radiate, ± subsessile; involucre bell-shaped or hemispheric; phyllaries 4-6 mm, many in 1 series, equal, ± folded, generally acuminate, purplish; receptacle convex, naked Flowers: Ray flowers: many; corollas 6-11.5 mm; ligule 5-8.5 mm, white to purple, often dark-veined; Disk flowers many; corollas yellow; style tips short-triangular Fruit: 1.5-2 mm, compressed, oblong to obovate, finely appressed-hairy, light brown; pappus of 0-12 bristles 1-2 mm and several slender scales 0.5-1 mm, ± dissected into bristles Misc: Sandy deserts, washes; 200-1200 m.; Feb-May, Sep References: J.C. Hickman, ed. The Jepson Manual.W.B. McDougal. Seed plants of Northern Arizona. ASU specimens.