Leptodactylon pungens shares many characteristics with its close Phlox cousin, Desert Phlox,  Phlox austromontana.  Both have very fine leaves, gray dead leaves from last year, and five-petaled flowers.  But Leptodactylon pungens is often a foot or so tall, its petals in bud are often twisted, and its flowers open in the evening (and often close in the morning) and easily become a raggedy mess after a rain  --  as in the photograph at left.

Semi-desert. Shrublands, woodlands, openings. Spring.
De-Na-Zin/Bisti Wilderness, May 21, 2009.

This photograph was taken at 9:30 a.m. and flowers were already closing.  They will reopen in the evening.  Even when closed, though, the flowers are quite noticeable because they appear in such great numbers on each plant --  and because there are often many plants in a small area.  The plant shown at left was one of hundreds that gave a yellow cast to a hillside in the De-Na-Zin/Bisti Wilderness.

The very narrow leaves of L. pungens show you quickly that this plant is not Tiquilia latior, with which it could easily be confused.  The latter has much broader and longer leaves but does also have the low mat growth pattern and a gray mat of dried leaves and flowers.  When the two plants are in flower there is no confusion.