With erect, blue-green, hairless stems 12–32-inches tall, this widespread plant does the minimum with flowers and leaves. The leaves are thread-like and the flower head has no petal-like ray flowers, only yellow disk flowers. Note the small, nubby outer phyllaries at the base of the flowerhead. Historically, the whole plant, also called Hopi or Navajo Tea, is used for tea. Just wrap the stems and flowers into a tight bundle and brew fresh or dried. It tastes somewhat like chamomile tea.

FLOWER: April–October. Flower heads have only a disk of yellow florets and bloom at the tips of 3–9-inch long (7.5–23 cm) stalks that usually branch near the top. The distinctive head, 1/2–3/4-inch wide (12–20 mm), is a smooth cup with 8 phyllaries with pointed tips and united for half their length, and with 4-6 small radiating phyllaries around the bottom. The seeds are small awns with 2 barbs on one end.

LEAVES: Opposite on stem. Blades have thread-like lobes, 1 1/2–3 1/2-inches long (3.8–9 cm), mostly on the lower half of the stem with a few smaller leaves sparsely along the upper stem.

HABITAT: Sandy, rocky soils, roadsides, disturbed areas; prairies, desert grasslands and scrub, pinyon-juniper woodlands.

ELEVATION: 3,800–7,800 feet.

RANGE: AZ, CO, KA, OK, NE, UT, TX, WY.

SIMILAR SPECIES: White Ragweed, Hymenopappus filifolius, in much the same habitat and range, has white hairs on the stem, threadlike leaves, and a flower head without radiating outer phyllaries.

NM COUNTIES: Widespread statewide in low- to mid-elevation, arid habitats.