Stems erect, 5-29 cm. Leaf blades lance-linear, 20-60 × 2-12 mm. Phyllaries 8-11, subequal. Ray corollas 1.5-2.5+ mm. Cypselae: rays 4 mm (with awns 2-3 mm), subterete, obscurely 3-angled, each sulcate on angles and on abaxial face; discs 4-angled, innermost ± compressed, not winged. 2n = 22.

Flowering late summer-early fall. Open places, scrub-lands, pinyon-juniper woodlands; 1400-2400 m; Ariz., Calif., N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora).

Duration: Annual

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Annual herbs, to 30 cm tall, from a taproot; stems erect to prostrate.

Leaves: Opposite and sessile to short petiolate along the stems; blades lance-linear, 2-6 cm long by 2-12 mm wide,with wedge-shaped bases and pointed tips, delicately hispid along the margins.

Flowers: Flower heads yellowish and radiate but relatively inconspicuous, subsessile in the axils of the upper leaves or terminal on the branches; involucres hemispheric to rotate, 5-10 mm diameter, the bracts (phyllaries) 8-10, in two subequal series, linear to oblong with membraneous margins; ray florets 5-10 per flower head, the laminae (ray petals) 2 mm long, yellow with greenish veins on the underside, 2-toothed at the apex; receptacles convex to conic; disc florets 2 mm long, greenish yellow, surpassed by subtending bracts.

Fruits: Ray achenes 4 mm long, subterete, obscurely 3-angled; disc achenes 4-angled, more or less compressed.

Ecology: Found in open sites, scrublands, and pinyon-juniper woodlands, from 3,500-8,000 ft (1067-2438 m); flowers July-September.

Distribution: s CA, s NV, AZ, NM, sw TX; south to n MEX.

Notes: This small annual can be locally abundant after summer rains; distinguished by being relatively small, with opposite leaves; stems which often turn reddish; short hairs all over; and especially the distinctive conic shape of the heads, with small but showy yellow rays with two teeth at the ends.

Ethnobotany: Used to increase perspiration and to treat mouth sores, headaches, menstrual pain, colds, skin sores, snake bites, sore throats, and toothaches.

Etymology: Sanvitalia is thought to be named for Count Stefano Sanvitali (1764-1883) and Italian botanical collector who worked for Lamarck; abertii is named for James William Abert (1820-1897) an American topographer.

Synonyms: None

Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017