This densely branching, rounded, 4–8 inch tall plant defies garden logic and thrives in arid, rocky habitats. Dime-sized disks of yellow flowers contrast with dark green, spiny leaves. Note the flower heads do not extend above the foliage. The plant favors dry, gravelly, not pure sandy, habitats.

FLOWER: April–October. Single, nearly stemless flower heads, to 5/8 inch wide (16 mm), have 7–12 bright yellow petal-like rays surrounding a yellow disk. Numerous flowers bloom at once often covering the deep-green foliage.

LEAVES: Opposite. Stiff, needle-like leaves 3/8–1 inch long (10–25 mm). The leaves have a dank, canine odor, thus the common name.

HABITAT: Dry gravelly, sandy soils; desert grassland and scrub, pinyon-juniper woodlands.

ELEVATION: 3,200–7,000 feet.

RANGE: AZ, NM, NV, UT, TX.

SIMILAR SPECIES: The widespread Fiveneedle Dogweed, T. pentachaeta, in similar habitats in the southern 1/2 of NM, is about the same size but has 1-inch long leaves with 3–7 stiff, thin lobes and flowers on 3/4–2 inch tall stems held above the foliage.

NM COUNTIES: Widespread in low- to mid-elevation arid habitats in all but the northernmost tier of counties: Bernalillo, Chaves, Cibola, De Baca, Dona Ana, Grant, Guadalupe, Eddy, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, Otero, Quay, Roosevelt, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Valencia.