Chorizanthe rigida
Devil's Spineflower
It is a short, erect and sometimes single-stalked, but multi-stalked to 5 stalks or more. It grows quickly, especially following spring rains. With the onset of early summer it turns into a spine-skeleton. It has a main taproot, mostly longer than the plant is tall, taking advantage of the rainfall's ground moisture. The devil's spineflower is extremely conspicuous when growing in its bright new green; when desiccated its spiny skeleton is blackish, dark gray, or of medium browns and blends in easily to the desert background ground colors. The flower is the tiny dot of yellow in the center of the leaf clusters.