Plants rhizomatous, 0.5-2 dm. Leaves: petiole 5-8 mm, channeled adaxially, glabrous or papillose; blade not maculate or, sometimes, maculate, dull and light green abaxially, glossy and green adaxially, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate to ovate or lanceolate-oblong, (6-)10-55 × 4.5-25 mm, base obtuse or acute or decurrent, margins entire or serrulate to serrate, apex acute. Inflorescences 1-3-flowered; peduncle 1 per stem, 2-5 cm, papillose to hispidulous; inflorescence bracts broadly ovate to broadly obovate, free portions shorter than to nearly as long as pedicels from which they arise, 2-7 × 2-7.5 mm, membranous, margins erose-denticulate. Pedicels 6-12 mm. Flowers: calyx lobes spreading or reflexed in fruit, green with margins hyaline or whitish green, ovate to suborbiculate, (3-)5-6.5 × 2.2-4.5 mm, margins erose-denticulate, apex rounded to obtuse; petals white, often suffused with pink, orbiculate, 5-7 × 4.5-8 mm, margins entire or erose-denticulate; stamens 4.2-7 mm; filament base 0.8-1.3 mm wide, dilated basal portion ciliate to villous; anthers 2.2-3.1 mm, thecae yellowish or tan to pinkish, tubules tan or pinkish, 0.7-1.1 mm, abruptly narrowed from thecae, lateral walls not touching, pores 0.1-0.2 × 0.1-0.2 mm; ovary papillose in lines; style 0.3-0.6 mm; stigma 1.6-2.2(-2.8) mm wide. Capsules depressed-globose, 4-5 × 5-6 mm. 2n = 26.

Flowering (May-)Jun-Aug. Montane and subalpine, coniferous forests; 10-2400 m; B.C.; Calif., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash.