Plants perennial, taprooted; caudex short-branching. Stems 1 or more from each rosette, 10-20 cm, bracts scattered proximally, ovate-lanceolate, scarious. Leaves basal, in loose rosettes; blade elliptic-lanceolate to ovate or oblanceolate, narrowing to broad petiole, 6-15 cm. Inflorescences racemose, 1-5(-8)-flowered. Flowers pedicellate; sepals broadly ovate, 9-10 mm, scarious; petals 7-9(-12), salmon-pink to yellowish, rarely white, 25-40 mm; stamens 10-23, anther yellow; style present; stigmas 3; pedicel 20-60 mm. Capsules ovoid, 7-10 mm, dehiscence circumscissile near base; valves 3-4, splitting from base toward apex. Seeds 12-35, dark brownish red, suborbicular to reniform, 2 mm, not shiny, warty, strophiolate. 2n = 46, 92.

Flowering May-Jul. Well-drained granitic talus slopes and ledges, often in ponderosa pine duff; of conservation concern; 600-2200 m; B.C.; Wash.