Herbage densely hairy. Stems erect to ascending. Flowers cup-shaped; sepals accrescent, obovate, 7.5-10 mm, abaxially and adaxially densely hairy; petals broadly obovate-cuneate, 8-10 mm, apex truncate or slightly emarginate; filaments 3-7 mm; anthers 1-1.5 mm, usually dehiscing extrorsely; style 3.5-4 mm. Nutlets 3-5, tubercles broad-based, platelike cones.

Flowering Mar-Apr. Edges of vernal pools; of conservation concern; 0-100 m; Calif.

Subspecies californica occurs in Butte County on the eastern edge of the Sacramento Valley and on Table Mountain. It is sympatric with Limnanthes alba subsp. alba; it flowers earlier. J. A. Dole and M. Sun (1992) found no evidence of hybridization between them.