Plants 20-30 cm; woody roots and relatively slender caudex branches. Stems ascending-erect, often wiry and brittle. Phyllaries hispido-hirsute (hairs translucent, spreading, stiff, relatively thick-based), sometimes slightly glandular.

Flowering May-Aug(-Sep). Open, rocky sites, commonly crevices and ledges, sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, ponderosa pine; (1200-)1300-2700(-3100) m; Calif., Nev.

Variety porphyreticus is similar to var. breweri in the production of relatively slender, rhizomelike proximal caudex branches, spreading-deflexed stem vestiture, and blue ray corollas; var. porphyreticus differs in its wirier stems, generally greater development of flowering branches, larger heads, and hirsuto-hispid phyllaries with broad, stramineous-indurate margins and lack of green apical patches.