Plants perennial, with stout, woody caudices; periderm 5-12 mm. Stems 5-25 cm. Leaves: basal leaves sessile, dilated at base into broad, succulent sheath, blade rhombic to oblanceolate, 2-10 × 0.4-2.8 cm, apex obtuse; cauline leaves sessile, blade oblanceolate, 2-10 × 2-5 mm. Inflorescences multibracteate; bracts subtending pedicels, apex obtuse. Flowers 12-20 mm diam; sepals 6-8 mm; petals white, pink, or rose, 5-20 × 3-8 mm; ovules 6. Seeds 2-3 mm diam., shiny and smooth; elaiosome 1 mm or less. 2n = 12, 16, 24, 32, 34, 36.

Flowering May-Aug. Talus, scree, gravelly slopes; 2000-4000 m; Alta., B.C., N.W.T.; Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.Mex., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.