Geraea canescens
Asteraceae

Also known as desert sunflower, this is the plant you see carpeting Death Valley* in years when the conditions are right (eg wet winters). It’s an annual that can stand up to three feet tall (the three plants pictured above are unusually small specimens), and has hairy stems, and hairy, sage-green leaves that are sessile, oval at the base, and long-tipped.

Desert gold is native to the desert Southwest (California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona).

*see yesterday’s post