Perennials, 5-15(-25) cm; tap-rooted (caudices with relatively short and thick branches). Stems erect or basally ascending, glabrous, minutely glandular. Leaves basal (persistent) and cauline; basal blades (usually 3-nerved) oblanceolate to obovate or spatulate, 30-80(-100) × (2-)4-15 mm, margins entire, sometimes spreading-ciliate (sometimes with con-spicuously raised primary and secondary venation), faces usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely hispidulous to hirsute, minutely glandular; cauline blades oblong-oblanceolate, little reduced distally. Heads 1(-2). Involucres 5-8 × 8-15 mm. Phyllaries in 2-3(-4) series, glabrous or sparsely strigose, minutely glandular. Ray florets 30-60; corollas white or blue, 6-12 mm, laminae reflexing. Disc corollas 3-5.2 mm. Cypselae 2-2.3 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 12-20 bristles.

Flowering May-Aug. Dry, rocky or sandy soils, talus, or cliff ledges and crevices, sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, oak, fir, spruce-aspen; (1600-)2500-3500 m; Nev., Utah.