Low, very branched annual with a red-tinged, woolly-haired stem. Green leaves are linear, hairy, have a spiral pattern with the basal leaves often lacking. Showy, trumpet-shaped white to light purple or light blue flowers are clustered at the plant's top.
Low, rigid, much branched forb; leaves 3 to 5 toothed, 1 bristle per tooth; lower teeth of upper leaves reduced to clusters of 2 to 3 bristles; basal leaves often absent, otherwise leafy throughout; tube formed by sepals splits open at maturity.
Habitat
Found in dry, gravelly, sandy locations, desert washes, hillsides, rocky slopes and plains, more common below 3500 feet, can occur up to 5000 feet.
Flower Characteristics
Flowers grow in head-like clusters at the stem tops slightly above the leaves. Each trumpet-shaped flower has 5 petals below which are leaf-like sepals with stiff sharp hairs (bristles). Petals are often a solid color but can have darker purple markings.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves usually grow along the upper stem not at the base. They are densely covered with stiff hairs, grow from 1/2 to 1-1/4 inches long and 1/8 to 1/2 inch wide and have 3 to 5 teeth (or points) at the tips. Each tooth ends in a white, bristly spine.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Capsule is about 1/4 inch long with 5 to 9 seeds in each of its 3 chambers. The outer wall of each chamber or section of the fruit (valve) is flattened. The capsule is oblong to lance-shaped, triangular in a cross-section and splits open when mature.
Seeds are about 1/16 inch long and angled. When wet, they have a jelly-like consistency.