Xylorhiza venusta

Perennials or subshrubs, 10-40 cm. Stems branched mostly in proximal ³ / 4 (leafy in proximal ¹ / 2 - ² / 3 ), densely villoso-puberulent to glabrate, eglandular. Leaf blades oblanceolate to oblong-spatulate, 2-15 mm wide, bases attenuate, not clasping, margins flat, entire, faces densely villoso-puberulent to glabrate. Peduncles 5-20 cm. Involucres 12-20 × 20-35(-40) mm. Ray florets 14-34; corollas white to pale lavender. Style-branch appendages shorter than stigmatic lines. 2n = 12, 24.

Flowering Apr-Jun. Barren, open sites, often selenious, alkaline, dominated by saltbush and shadscale; 1300-2100 m; Colo., Utah.