The Mojave hole-in-the-sand plant, bears the Latin name of Nicolletia occidentalis and is of the asteraceae or sunflower family. It is a desert-adapted perennial herb with a skeletonlike appearance. The plant grows from a deep taproot in the desert sand and the stem is sometimes surrounded by a depression in the sand, a trait that gives it its common name. This plant bears showy flowers with curving bright pink ray florets and yellow centers.
The leaves are narrow and fleshy and end in a bristle. They have large oil glands which exude a strong unpleasant scent.
They range from the Mojave Desert to the High Sierra Nevada and most commonly inhabit sandy desert soils, such as dunes and washes at elevations of 1,800 feet to 4,200 feet. They flower from April until June.
Nicolletia occidentalis, is a dicot, native only to California , although there are other plants with dep taproots referred to as hole-in-the-sand plants.