Plants 3-18(-40) cm. Stems 1-5, ascending or decumbent, pale and often red-tinged, sparsely villous, sometimes tomentose. Leaves (persistent, thick, ± fleshy); basal petiolate, blades lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, 50-140 × 9-16 mm, margins usually entire, sometimes slightly undulate, sometimes denticulate, sparsely ciliate, apices acute to obtuse, faces usually glabrous, sometimes puberulent or villous, eglandular; cauline sessile, lanceolate to ovate, 20-40 × 5-10 mm, bases clasping, auriculate. Heads usually borne singly, terminal, sometimes 2-3 smaller proximally, not subtended by leaflike bracts. Peduncles 0.5-1 cm. Involucres broadly campanulate, 8-15 × 20-35 mm. Phyllaries in 3-4 series, green with white margins, sometimes yellowish, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 6-12 mm, unequal, margins entire, ciliate, apices obtuse to acute or acuminate, faces villous. Ray florets 21-55; corollas 10-18 mm. Disc florets 100+; corollas 6-8 mm. Cypselae subfusiform, not compressed, 4-7 mm, 4-angled, faces striate, sericeous or glabrous; pappi tawny, 6-8 mm.

Pyrrocoma clementis is recognized by its villous to tomentose stems, villous and ciliate phyllaries, and high elevation habitat, often well above tree-line. It is similar to P. uniflora, which has narrower heads, finer floccose-tomentose pubescence, and grows at lower elevations.