Malacothrix junakii is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common names Anacapa Island desert-dandelion, Junak's desertdandelion, and Junak's malacothrix.

[2] This is an annual herb with a branching, leafy stem up to 30 centimeters tall.

The inflorescence contains several flower heads in one or more open clusters.

The head is lined with hairless red-tinged green phyllaries.

It contains yellow ray florets each roughly a centimeter long.