Chaenactis xantiana, the Mojave pincushion or Xantus pincushion, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the western United States, from southeastern Oregon, Nevada, southern and eastern California and northwestern Arizona.[1] It is very common in the Antelope Valley in the Mojave Desert, and grows in sandy soils.[2] [3]
Chaenactis xantiana is an annual plant growing to 50 cm tall. The leaves are somewhat succulent, 3–7 cm long and 3–4 mm broad, in a basal rosette on the young plants which wither away during flowering, and spirally arranged leaves on the flowering stem; they are green, finely flecked with white scales giving an overall grayish color to the plant.[4]
The Mojave pincushion flowers are produced in a capitulum 3–6 cm diameter, and are white.[5]
It is similar to Chaenactis stevioides (Esteve pincushion).
The species is named for Hungarian-American ichthyologist John Xantus (1825-1894).[4]
