Malacothrix coulteri is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.[1] [2] It is known by the common name snake's head or snake's head desert-dandelion.
It is an annual herb producing a waxy, upright flowering stem up to NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches) in height.[3] The leaves are NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches) long, mostly located near the base of the stem, and are toothed or not. The inflorescence is an array of flower heads about NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches) wide, with nearly spherical involucres of scale-like phyllaries NaNcm (-2,147,483,648inches) wide. The bracts are green, often with dark striping or marking. The yellow or white ray florets are about 1 cm long.
Similar species include Anisocoma acaulis and Calycoseris parryi.
It is native to the southwestern United States, and it is also an introduced species in southern South America.[4] Its native habitat includes desert, grassland, chaparral, and other open, sandy areas.