Annuals, 10-100(-150) cm. Stems ± solid. Leaves: proximal blades usually pinnatifid to toothed (rarely entire), faces hispid to hirsute and sometimes stipitate-glandular. Heads in open, paniculiform arrays. Bracts sub-tending heads usually not overlapping involucres. Phyllaries ± evenly stipitate-glandular, including margins and apices, with or without non-glandular, non-pustule-based hairs. Paleae in 1 series. Ray florets 5; laminae deep yellow, 4-8 mm. Disc florets 6, all or mostly functionally staminate; anthers usually yellow or brownish (reddish to dark purple or maroon in some, mostly southern Californian, D. kelloggii). Pappi of 6-12 linear to oblong, entire or fringed scales 1-2 mm. 2n = 18.
Flowering Mar-Nov. Grasslands, openings in woodlands or shrublands, barrens, disturbed sites, sandy or clayey soils; 0-900(-1200) m; Ariz., Calif.; Mexico (Baja California).
Deinandra kelloggii occurs in the San Joaquin Valley, eastern San Francisco Bay area, eastern Inner South Coast Ranges, and south-central Sierra Nevada foothills and in mostly interior, southwestern California. Plants in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts and Inner North Coast Ranges are presumably introductions. Plants morphologically intermediate between D. kelloggii and D. pallida (e.g., 5-7 ray florets) have been collected where ranges of the two, somewhat interfertile species meet near Porterville (e.g., D. D. Keck 3335, UC; L. L. Donnelly 29, UC).
Plant: Annual 1-10 dm, aromatic; stems soft-hairy to bristly below, bristly and glandular-puberulent above
Leaves: generally cauline, alternate, bristly; lower 3-9 cm, oblong-oblanceolate, dentate to lobed; upper linear
INFLORESCENCE: primary inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower; heads radiate, in open cymes; heads long-peduncled; involucre 4.5-5 mm; phyllaries soft-hairy to densely glandular
Flowers: Ray flowers 5; ligule 4-8 mm, pale yellow; Disk flowers 6, generally staminate; corollas and anthers yellow; anther tips ovate; style branches long, tips bristly
Fruit: 2.5-3 mm, beaked; ray achenes ± 3-angled; pappus 0; disk achenes cylindric or obconic, pappus scales 6-12, linear to lanceolate
Misc: Open areas; < 700 m.; Apr-Jul
