Texas Skeleton Weed

Texas skeleton weed grows 12–15 inches tall, with smooth, almost leafless stems. Its few leaves are at the base of the plant and are narrow, gray-green, with short lobes. The bare stems, growing at odd angles, suggest its common name. The flower heads, rose to lavender and 2 inches across, grow singly at the end of flower stems. Only 1 flower head blooms at a time on each slender, forking stem. The bracts form a tube about 1 inch long, and the flower head extending from it opens out almost flat. It has 12 ray flowers and orchid-colored disc flowers that curl toward the center. Each ray has 5 minute teeth at the tip. When the stems are broken, they exude sap which coagulates into a gum.