Description: Perennial, with a thick woody tap-root and a very short caudex; stems 50-60 cm high, light-green, appressed-pubescent, branched above, branches erect; basal leaves pinnately 7-foliolate with closely approximate leaflets; petioles 1-1.5 dm long, with more spreading pubescence; leaflets 2-5 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, oblong or oblong-oblanceolate, serrate, light-green, puberulent on both sides and slightly silky on the veins beneath; lower stem-leaves similar, but more inclined to be digitate, and with shorter petioles; uppermost ones tenate or simple; stipules large, lanceolate, 1-2 cm long; hypanthium siky and puberulent; bractlets linear-lanceolate, about 5 mm long, acute; sepals narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, about 7 mm long; petals red-orange, exceeding the sepals, obcordate; stamens about 25.

Aids to Identification: Distinguished from other varieties of P. thurberi in that the lower pair of leaflets is often offset by a millimeter or two from the other leaflets. Petals are red-orange distally, darker toward center. Leaflets are green and only sparsely hairy on both sides, with the teeth often confined to the upper half of the leaflet, but some are toothed from the apex to the base. Many leaflets of P. sanguinea are toothed only in the distal half of the leaf, while P. thurberi is always toothed proximally as well. Some P. thurberi specimens appear to be more hirsute on the ventral side with hairs primarily on the veins, but others are similar to P. sanguinea specimens.

Management Factors: Natural habitat currently unknown. Existing documented populations are subject to roadbuilding and road salting activities, social trails, automobile traffic and overcollecting. Effects of fire and grazing on this species are unknown, but plant may be susceptible to intense wildfire, fire suppression or overgrazing in its natural habitat. Seed production may be poor; thus lack of pollinators may be a factor.