Dwarf cottonrose, spreading cottonrose, hierba limpia

Filago depressa A. Gray, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 19: 3. 1883; Oglifa depressa (A. Gray) Chrtek & Holub

Plants 1–5(–10) cm. Stems (1–)3–10+, typically ± prostrate; branches ± leafy between proximal forks, remaining grayish to whitish, lanuginose. Leaves elliptic to obovate, largest 6–8(–10) × 1–2 mm, pliant; longest capitular leaves mostly 0.8–1.5 times head heights, obtuse. Heads in glomerules of 2–5 in ± dichasiiform arrays, ± pyriform, largest 3–4 × 2–2.5 mm. Phyllaries 0, vestigial, or 1–4, unequal, ± like paleae. Receptacles obovoid, 0.9–1.2 mm, heights 1.4–1.6 times diams. Pistillate paleae (except innermost) 7–13 in 2(–3) series, spirally ranked, loosely saccate, incurved 20–60°, somewhat gibbous, not galeate, longest 2.1–3.1 mm, distal 20–50% of lengths glabrous abaxially; bodies (except midnerves) chartaceous, ± terete; wings prominent. Innermost paleae ± 5, spreading in 1 series, pistillate. Pistillate florets: outer 7–13 epappose, inner (4–)10–21 pappose. Bisexual florets 2–5; corollas 1.3–2 mm, lobes mostly 5, yellowish to brownish. Cypselae: outer nearly straight, ± erect, compressed, 0.7–0.9 mm; inner mostly smooth; pappi of (11–)13–15 bristles falling in 1s or 2s, 1.3–2.4 mm.

Flowering and fruiting mostly Feb–May. Desert flats, alluvial slopes, loose sandy to gravelly soils, openings among shrubs, often with extra moisture (dry drainages, roadsides), rarely outside deserts; 0–1500 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev.; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora).

Reported to be eaten by desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii), Logfia depressa is known from the Mojave Desert and most of the Sonoran Desert (except islands and lower Colorado River valley) including arid Baja California; isolated collections are known from southwestern California and Carson City, Nevada (where recently extirpated).