Plants 20-50 cm. Stems branched (prominently ribbed, strongly stipitate-glandular; caudices woody). Leaves 5-10 pairs (main stems, 2-6 pairs on branches; basal withered by flowering), cauline; sessile; blades obovate-oblong to ovate-oblong, (1-)2-4(-5) × 1-3 cm, margins ± entire, apices acute, faces sparsely to densely pilose, densely stipitate-glandular. Heads 10-20. Involucres narrowly turbinate. Phyllaries 10-20, broadly lanceolate (stipitate-glandular). Ray florets 0. Disc florets 10-30; corollas cream; anthers yellow. Cypselae dark gray, 4.5-6.5 mm, stipitate-glandular; pappi usually white, rarely tawny, bristles barbellate to subplumose. 2n = 38.

Flowering Aug-Sep. Open, rocky subalpine to alpine; 1700-2500 m; Calif., Oreg.