Plants 8-35 cm. Stems (1-3 together) usually simple, rarely branched (moderately to densely hairy, hairs translucent with purple septa). Leaves (2-)3-5(-6) pairs, usually crowded toward stem bases; petiolate or sessile (petioles short-winged); blades elliptic, lanceolate, or broadly oblanceolate, 3-10 × 1-2.5 cm, margins usually entire proximal to mid blade, subentire to denticulate distally, apices acute to obtuse, faces: abaxial paler and often glabrous, adaxial slightly hairy. Heads 1 (nodding). Involucres turbinate-campanulate (bases moderately villous, hairs brownish). Phyllaries 11-15, lanceolate to elliptic (apices obtuse, tips blunt, callous). Ray florets 8-13; corollas yellow (laminae 14-20 mm). Disc florets: corollas yellow; anthers dark purple. Cypselae brown, 5-6 mm, sparsely strigose (hairs simple, apically pointed) or glabrous; pappi tawny, bristles barbellate. 2n = 38, 57, 76.

Flowering Jun-Sep. Coastal tundra to alpine slopes; 0-1500 m; B.C., N.W.T., Yukon; Alaska; Asia (Russian Far East).