Desert Sunflower

This small flower grows up to 2 inches (5 cm) tall. Its yellow stems grow from the base of the plant in bunches of 3 and are very thin and straight, and split into many branching stems three quarters of the way up, and the huge, yellow-green leaves are V-shaped with irregular edges. The leaves grow from the base and are the same length as the stem.

A single tiny flower sits at the end of each stem. The flowers are 4 cm (1.6 inches) wide, with solid light brown petals decorated with violet dots and a indigo central disk. The flower head is made up of 11 petals; the lower layer of petals are flat, while the upper layers form a tight tube. They are hardy.

It has a fairly strong scent that smells like a damp log, and it has lots of pollen; it can can cause allergic reactions. It is pollinated by a small species of bird, but is also visited by a small species of bird.