Palafoxia, or palafox, is a genus of North American flowering plants in the Bahia tribe within the Asteraceae (sunflower family).

[2][3] The erect, slender stem grows 30–60 centimetres (12–24 in) tall, branching in the lower half and is sparsely leaved.

[4] The seed-like fruit is narrow with a pappus of several pointed scales (giving rise to the common name 'Spanish Needles' for P. arida).

[4] The genus is named after José de Palafox y Melzi, Duke of Saragossa (1776–1847), a Spanish captain-general in the Peninsular War against the invading armies of Napoleon.

They are attractive to bees, butterflies and birds and are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia niveicosta, which feeds exclusively on P. linearis.