Subshrubs, 0.5-1.5 × 2-4 dm or 2-4.5 × 4-9 dm. Leaves cauline 1/ 4 length of flowering stem or 4 length of nonscapose flowering stem; petiole 0.1-0.3 cm; blade lanceolate to elliptic or oblance-olate, 0.5-2 × 0.3-0.6(-0.8) cm, densely tomentose abaxially, tomentose to floccose and green-ish adaxially. Inflorescences capitate,1-1.5 cm wide, or umbellate or cymose, 2-4(-8) × 3-6(-12) cm, tomentose to floccose; branches tomentose to floccose. Involucres (2-)2.5-3.5 × 1.5-2.5 mm. Flowers 2-3 mm; perianth white to pink, glabrous or, rarely, sparsely pilose.

Flowering Jul-Aug. Steep rocky slopes, subalpine conifer woodlands; 2500-2800 m; Utah.

Variety heilii is known only from the upper Deep Creek drainage on the eastern slope of Thousand Lake Mountain in Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, where it occurs with Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata Engelmann).