Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada.
Habitat: Open hillsides, meadows and forest openings from the lowlands to middle elevations in the mountains.
Flowers: July-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies, flies, wasps
Perennial from a taproot, the several stems decumbent at the base, 0.5-6 dm. tall; herbage more or less pubescent.
Basal leaves tufted, petiolate, oblanceolate, up to 40 cm. long and 4 cm. wide, entire or occasionally spiny-toothed; cauline leaves more or less reduced, becoming sessile.
Heads usually solitary, rather large, the involucre 15-30 mm. high, the outer bracts somewhat leaf-like; rays inconspicuous, often lacking, yellow; disk flowers numerous, yellow, 10-14 mm. long; pappus of unequal, capillary bristles.
Achenes elongate.
Large heads and lack of apparent ray flowers separates this species from others in this genus in our area.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Pyrrocoma carthamoides in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Pyrrocoma carthamoides checklist entry
OregonFlora: Pyrrocoma carthamoides information
E-Flora BC: Pyrrocoma carthamoides atlas page
CalPhotos: Pyrrocoma carthamoides photos