Description: Caespitose perennial rhizomatous herbs 4–35 cm tall; stems 4–12+ from woody crown, sparingly branched in distal half, branchlets somewhat fastigiate, erect-ascending; herbage glabrous or nearly so. Leaves dimorphic, basal and cauline; basal present at anthesis, in compact persistent rosette, sessile, 1–4 cm long, linear-spatulate, subsucculent, base clasping, margins entire, 8–20- spinulose-ciliate, spinules 0.4–1.5 mm long, subequal, sometimes as long as blade width; cauline abruptly reduced and scale-like. Capitula radiate; involucre 7–10 × 5–8 mm, turbinate; phyllaries 4– 6-seriate; receptacle often noticeable alveolate with lacerate borders to 0.5 mm tall. Ray florets 8– 14; corolla limb 8–10 mm long. Disk florets 12–20+; corolla 4.5–5.5 mm long. Cypselae 1.7–2.4 mm long, rays pappose. 2n = 10.