Chaenactis floribunda Greene Chaenactis xantiana, the Mojave pincushion or Xantus pincushion,[2] is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the western United States, from southeastern Oregon, Nevada, southern and eastern California and northwestern Arizona.

[3] It is very common in the Antelope Valley in the Mojave Desert, and grows in sandy soils.

[4][2] Chaenactis xantiana is an annual plant growing to 50 cm tall.

The leaves are somewhat succulent, 3–7 cm long and 3–4 mm broad, in a basal rosette on the young plants which wither away during flowering, and spirally arranged leaves on the flowering stem; they are green, finely flecked with white scales giving an overall grayish color to the plant.

[5][6] The Mojave pincushion flowers are produced in a capitulum 3–6 cm diameter, and are white.