Malacothrix squalida is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name Santa Cruz desertdandelion.

The plant is very limited in distribution and today exists only in degraded habitat on these two small islands.

This is an annual herb growing a hairless, waxy stem 20 to 30 centimeters in maximum height.

The inflorescence is an array of flower heads lined with oval-shaped phyllaries.

The ray florets are 1 to 2 centimeters and light yellow in color.