Joni Mitchell ‘in a coma’

Joni Mitchell is reportedly in a coma and unresponsive in hospital.

The 71-year-old folk singer was rushed to hospital in Los Angeles on March 31, after being found unconscious at her home.

And despite reports last week suggesting that Joni was awake, it has now been claimed that the singer is not responding to treatment in the medical facility.

TMZ.com claims that Joni's close friend Leslie Morris, who has been pals with the singer for the past 44 years, has applied to obtain a conservatorship over the singer.

The outlet claims Leslie has told the court that Joni told her she has no close relatives who would otherwise be called upon to take on the role of conservator.

TMZ also report the legal documents state that Joni is "so impaired as to be incapable of being assessed."

Joni is best known for her songs including Big Yellow Taxi and Woodstock.

She no longer sings, previously saying that years of smoking have adversely affected her voice. The star also suffers from Morgellons Disease, which is a rare skin condition that makes sufferers feel as if there is something crawling beneath their flesh.

She opened up about the condition to Billboard magazine at the end of last year, explaining it was the big reason why she no longer tours.

"I can't fly without consequences at this point – I can fly off to Canada, that's about all I can handle. And I'm sick on both ends for about ten to 12 days," she explained. "It's all that heavy metal in the air, and also viruses. My immune system is also very taxed, and the metal that comes off the exhaust and gets into the cabin and gets into my system... just being delicate."