Arizona skeletonplant

Lygodesmia arizonica Tomb, Sida 3: 530, unnumb. fig. p. 531. 1970

Plants 5–15(–25) cm. Stems erect to ascending, sparsely branched from bases, smooth. Leaves: proximal blades narrowly lanceolate to linear, 40–100 × 2–6 mm, ± lax, glabrous; cauline not reduced to scales (mostly 10+ mm). Heads 2–6, borne singly. Involucres cylindric, 18–25 mm × 5–7 mm, apices narrow. Phyllaries 5–6. Florets 5(–7); corollas pale pink to white. Cypselae 10–13 mm, abruptly narrowed below apex, faces rugose, adaxial strongly sulcate. 2n = 18.

Flowering May–June. Arid grasslands on sandy soils; 1100–1600 m; Ariz., Colo., N.Mex., Utah.

Variety arizonica is identified by its relatively short size (rarely over 20 cm), branched, leafy stems, and reduced or absent phyllary apical appendages.