Malacothrix saxatilis is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names cliff desertdandelion or cliff aster.[1] It is endemic to California, where it grows in the central and southern coastal hills and mountain ranges.[2] It is a perennial herb growing 30 to 60 centimeters tall from a rhizome and caudex unit. The leaves are variable in size and shape and may be lobed or not. The inflorescence is an array of flower heads lined with lance-shaped phyllaries. The ray florets are 1 or 2 centimeters long and white in color.
There are five varieties which intergrade, some of which are very limited in distribution.