Malacothrix is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae.

[2][3] They are known generally as desert dandelions or desertdandelions.

Several are found only on offshore islands in the Pacific.

[4] Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that Malacothrix is not monophyletic.

Some of its species are related to Atrichoseris, whereas a second group is more closely related to Anisocoma and Calycoseris.