Perennials, 2-30 cm; rhizomatous, fibrous-rooted, caudex or rhizome branches relatively short and thick. Stems erect, sparsely villoso-hirsute, minutely glandular. Leaves mostly basal (persistent); blades obovate to oblanceolate, 10-70 × 2-7(-12) mm, cauline abruptly reduced distally, margins entire (apices rounded), faces strigose to strigoso-hirsute, sometimes sparsely glandular. Heads 1. Involucres 5-8 × 8-18 mm. Phyllaries in (2-)3-4 series (often purplish throughout or at margins and tips), hirsute to hirsuto-villous (hair cross walls not colored), minutely glandular. Ray florets 25-125; corollas blue to pink or purple, 5-13 mm (mostly 1-2 mm wide), laminae coiling. Disc corollas 3-4.8 mm. Cypselae 1.9-2.1 mm, 2-nerved, faces strigose; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 10-15(-20) bristles.

Flowering Jul-Aug. Rocky sites and meadows, alpine or near timberline; of conservation concern; 2600-3700 m; Calif., Nev.