Syntrichopappus Fremontii, Yellowray Fremont's-Gold

Syntrichopappus fremontii is a small plant of the Mojave Desert, its range extending across some of the southern California mountains, and is associated with sagebush, pinyon-juniper woodland and Joshua trees. Stems may grow upwards, or bend down towards the ground, and they branch a few times. Leaves are mostly along he stems, where they are opposite towards the top, otherwise alternate, and they are usually shallowly divided at the apex into three lobes. Leaf margins are often rolled up underneath. Stems and leaves have a covering of loose, woolly hairs.

Flowerheads are held on stalks up to 1 inch long, and consist of five three-lobed, yellow, pistillate ray florets and between 10 and 20 five-lobed yellow disc florets, containing anthers and a style. The involucre is ringed by one row of five, oblanceolate, equal-length phyllaries, appressed when in flower but spreading during the fruiting stage.