Perennials, 5-15 cm; taprooted, caudices multicipital, sometimes with relatively short and thick branches. Stems erect to ascending, densely hirsutulous (hairs deflexed) to spreading-hirsute at least proximally, eglandular. Leaves basal (persistent) and cauline; basal blades sometimes 3-nerved, usually spatulate, sometimes oblanceolate to obovate, 10-40(-70) × 2-7(-13) mm, cauline gradually reduced distally (bases greenish, herbaceous, not thickened), margins entire, densely hirsute to hirsutulous, eglandular. Heads (discoid) 1(-2). Involucres 5.5-8 × 7-14 mm. Phyllaries in 2-3 series, glabrous or sparsely hirtellous, densely minutely glandular. Ray (pistillate) florets 0. Disc corollas 4-5.8 mm. Cypselae ca. 2 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 15-25 bristles.

Flowering Jun-Aug. Rock crevices and ridges, pinyon-juniper, yellow pine, fir; of conservation concern; 1100-2600 m; Nev.