Stems usually openly branched distally, moderately hispid, sparsely to moderately coarsely stipitate-glandular. Leaves green, mid cauline averaging 30.3 × 9.1 mm (18.6-72 × 3.2-30 mm), faces moderately to densely short-hispid (more than 5 hairs/mm²), sparsely to moderately, coarsely stipitate-glandular. Outer phyllaries lanceolate. 2n = 18.

Flowering Jul-Oct. Sand and gravel deposits along rivers and stream margins in oak and conifer woods; 0-500 m; Calif., Oreg.

Variety rudis ranges from extreme southern Oregon to east of Monterey in the coastal mountains of northern California, eastward into the southern Cascades and the northern Central Valley of California. It occasionally occurs with var. oregona but generally in habitats somewhat seasonally drier than those usual for the typical variety.