Sideranthus gooddingii A. Nelson, Bot. Gaz. 37: 266. 1904 (as gooddingi); Haplopappus gooddingii (A. Nelson) Munz & I. M. Johnston; H. spinulosus (Pursh) de Candolle subsp. gooddingii (A. Nelson) H. M. Hall; H. spinulosus var. gooddingii (A. Nelson) S. F. Blake; Machaeranthera pinnatifida (Hooker) Shinners subsp. gooddingii (A. Nelson) B. L. Turner & R. L. Hartman; M. pinnatifida var. gooddingii (A. Nelson) B. L. Turner & R. L. Hartman

Subshrubs, 70–100 cm, often woody in proximal ¹ / 3 +. Stems erect to spreading, branched in distal ² / 3 ; mid internodes 5–20+ mm. Leaves relatively sparse, crowded proximally, widely spreading, little reduced distally, margins pinnatifid to 2-pinnatifid, lobes often linear, 3–15+ mm, mostly entire, faces glabrous or sparsely hairy, stipitate-glandular. Heads mostly borne singly. Peduncles 2–15+ cm, bracteate. Involucres 15–25 mm wide. 2n = 8, 16.

Flowering winter–spring. Rocky to sandy washes, slopes, and roadsides; 200–1700 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev.; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora).