Plants 3-14 cm. Stems diffusely branched. Leaf blades linear to filiform, 15-35 × 0.5-1 mm. Invo-lucres narrowly obconic. Phyl-laries in 2 series, elliptic, glabrous or sparsely hirsuto-pilose. Ray (or pistillate) florets (4-)5(-6); corollas yellow to red-tipped, laminae 0-1 mm. Disc florets (3-)4(-5); corollas yellow, often reddish-tipped, linear-tubular, not contracted at lobes, lobes 3. Pappi of 3(-4) bristles, weakly dilated at bases. 2n = 18.

Flowering Apr-May. Grassy areas; 15-400 m; Calif.

Pentachaeta alsinoides is easily recognized by its relatively small (2.6-3 mm), disciform heads and reddish, linear-tubular, 3-lobed disc corollas. The anthers of the disc florets often are sterile.