Plants 30-60 cm, glabrous or sometimes sparsely pilose proximally. Leaves 2-12 cm; blade with primary lobes 5-13, remote. Inflorescences: peduncle 5-20 cm. Flowers: sepals 4-10 mm; petals orange-red, spotted purple at base, 1-2 cm. Capsules 1-2 cm. Seeds 0.4 mm. 2 n = 56.

Flowering spring (Apr-May). Grassy areas, openings in chaparral; less than 1200 m; Calif.; Mexico (Baja California).