Plants loose mats, 2-4 dm wide. Leaf blades usually ovate, 0.5-2 cm, grayish-tomentose or floccose on both surfaces. Inflorescences 1-3(-5) cm; branches tomentose to floccose. Involucres 4-5.5 × 4-5 mm, tomentose. Flowers 3-4.5 mm; perianth yellow.

Flowering May-Aug. Sandy to gravelly flats and slopes, sagebrush communities, conifer woodlands; (100-)400-2600 m; Calif., Idaho, Nev., Oreg., Wash.

Variety anserinum is the yellow-flowered phase of the species; it and var. proliferum are only occasionally found together. This taxon is widely scattered in most of its range in northeastern California, southwestern Idaho, northern Nevada, eastern Oregon, and eastern Washington. It is common mainly from south-central Oregon south into northwestern Nevada and eastern California. The plants are attractive and are occasionally seen in cultivation.