1 to 12 purplish stems that branch profusely; basal leaves wither early; green or grayish-green stem leaves are divided into short, fleshy, narrow segments. Flower stalks bear mostly white compact pincushion-like flower heads with enlarged outer florets.
Rounded white, pink or pale yellow flower heads, disc flowers 5, somewhat showy lobes, no ray flowers, outer flowers open wider, anthers protrude; flower head bracts hairy, pointed; basal leaves wither early; leaves lobed, often divided twice, fleshy.
Habitat
Found in open dry sites like mesas or plains, often in sandy to gravelly soils on slopes, on flats, in washes and shrublands.
Flower Characteristics
The flower stalk bears 5 to 20 loose clusters of dense 3/4 inch wide flower heads. Each head is composed entirely of about 2 dozen tiny tubular flowers (disc flowers) which are star-shaped and noticeably larger around the margins than in the center.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves are up to 2 inches long, fleshy, with soft, long, entangled hairs (woolly) and divided twice into 4 to 8 short, thick, very narrow segments. Stems have thin, cobwebby, silky hairs becoming smooth with age, usually purplish but can be blue-green.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit is brown to black, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long with stiff, sharp, flat hairs. It is topped with 1 to 5 (often 4) scales of unequal lengths that are half or more as long as the fruit itself and don't extend above the tops of the petals during flowering.
Each fruit produces 1 dry, dark brown seed ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 inch long.