Herbage copiously to sparsely arachnose, tomentose, or villous at flowering. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline usually indistinctly petiolate; blades (cauline) mostly elliptic to lanceolate or oblanceolate, sometimes rounded-deltate or suborbiculate. Heads 6-15(-30+). Phyllaries ± lanceolate, (4-)5-10 mm, tips black. Ray florets usually ± 5, sometimes 0; corollas yellow, laminae 6-15 mm.

Flowering spring. Open woodlands, sagebrush plains, meadow grasslands from foothills to above timberline; 500-3200 m; Alta., B.C., Sask.; Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Variety exaltatus is the most widespread and variable variety of the species. Eradiate plants of var. exaltatus have been recognized as var. vaseyi; there appears to be no populational integrity to the eradiate condition.