Plants (rarely perennial) 30-80 cm. Stems sparsely branched (central stem dominant); glabrous. Leaves: stipules linear, 0.5-1 mm (scarious); petiole 0.8-2 cm; leaflet blade oblanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 1.5-3 × 0.4-1 cm, thin, margins entire , apex acute to rounded or slightly emarginate, surfaces glabrous. Inflorescences racemes, terminating stems and branches, 2-12 cm (10-50 cm in fruit); bracts unifoliate, 5-12 mm (distalmost flowers often absent). Pedicels ascending in fruit, 4-6 mm (5-8 mm in fruit). Flowers: sepals green, lanceolate, 0.9-2.2 × 0.5-0.7 mm, glabrous; petals yellow, oblong, 6-9 × 2-4 mm, glabrous; stamens yellow, 8-12 mm; anthers 1.5-1.9 mm; gynophore ascending, 6-17 mm in fruit; ovary rhomboidal, 1-1.5 mm; style 1-2 mm. Capsules rhomboidal, 4-8 × 6-10 mm, glabrous. Seeds 6-16, dark brown, globose, 2-2.2 mm, smooth. 2n = 34.

Flowering late spring-late summer. Saline or alkaline flats; 500-1000 m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico.