Annual, (1-) 5-10 (-12)cm high, often branched from the base, stem and branches forming a dense globular to cylindric inflorescence from near the base or in the upper part. Leaves appressed tomentose to sericeous-tomentose, glabrescent beneath, often with adhering sand-grains, 6-20 x c. 1.2 mm with wider sheathlike base, the margins more or less involute. Capitula in groups, congested on small lateral branches, overtopped by the leaves. Involucre 3-4 mm long; phyllaries, hyaline, brownish to stramineous, apiculate, the inner with a thickened yellowish mid-rib, median and inner fertile and subtending a single female florets each. Disc florets numerous, bisexual, narrowly tubular with indistinct teeth. Cypselas brown, 0.5-0.6 mm long, obovoid; pappus (only in. the bisexual florets) of easily deciduous bristles, plumose in the upper part, c. 1.5 mm long.

Fl.Per.: February-September.

Type: Egypt, desert near Cairo, Forsskål (C).

A fairly common desert plant. Ifloga spicata is polymorphic in habit concerning characters like height of the plant, degree of branching, density of inflores¬cence and indumentum. Several subspecies have been described by Chrtek from Egypt. But as many of these characters are influenced by the environment, hence a more thorough study of the species in its entire range of distribution is necessary before recognizing infraspecific taxa; Distribution: Canary Island, southern Spain to N Africa through Middle East to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. A fairly common desert plant, grows in sand.