Palafoxia arida is a species of flowering plant in the aster family, known by the common names desert palafox and Spanish needle.

Palafoxia arida is an annual herb producing an erect, branching, glandular stem.

The rough-haired leaves are linear or lance-shaped and may exceed 10 centimeters long.

The cylindrical heads are about 2 to 3 centimeters long, lined with long, pointed phyllaries, and bearing up to 40 pink or white tubular disc florets.

The fruit is an achene over a centimeter long including the pappus.