Perennials, 10-26+ cm. Caudices ± branched, branches notably thickened distally. Stems (1-)5-20(-30), erect, leafy, ± branched distally. Leaves basal and cauline, entire, glabrous or sparsely to moderately lanuginose to sericeous, usually densely gland-dotted; basal leaves tightly clustered, blades linear-oblanceolate; proximal cauline blades linear-oblanceolate; mid blades linear-oblanceolate to linear, 1.7-2 mm wide; distal blades linear-oblanceolate to linear. Heads (1-)5-30(-40) per plant (1-5 per stem), borne singly or in paniculiform to corymbiform arrays. Peduncles 5-18.5 cm, ± hairy, usually densely hairy distally. Involucres 8-12 × 13-17 mm. Outer phyllaries 7-12, 5-6.4 mm, margins 0-0.3(-0.4) mm wide, usually scarious, abaxial faces ± hairy. Ray florets 7-10; corollas 10-20 mm. Disc florets (40-)80-150+; corollas yellow, 3.3-4.5 mm. Cypselae 3-4.1 mm; pappi of 5-7 lanceolate or obovate to oblanceolate, aristate scales 2.7-4.5 mm. 2n = 28, 30, 56, 60.

Flowering Apr-Aug. Roadsides, hillsides, open treeless areas, edges of woods; 1300-2900 m; Ariz., Colo., N.Mex., Utah.