Perennials, 1-5 cm (± pulvinate). Stems ± erect; internodes 0.1-1 mm, strigose. Leaves basal and cauline, blades spatulate to oblanceolate, 20-60+ × 2-5(-11+) mm, little, if at all, fleshy (margins strigoso-ciliate), usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely strigillose. Heads usually on scapiform peduncles 10-20(-70) mm, rarely sessile. Involucres hemispheric or broader, 8-12(-24) mm diam. Phyllaries 20-28+ in 3-4+ series, the longer ± lanceolate, 5-9 mm (l/w = 3-5), apices acute, abaxial faces glabrous or sparsely strigillose. Ray florets 12-34+; corollas usually white, sometimes pink or blue adaxially, laminae 5-10(-14+) mm, glabrous abaxially. Disc florets 50-80+; corollas 3.5-5.5 mm. Cypselae 2-4 mm, faces sparsely hairy (mostly at bases), hair tips glochidiform; pappi persistent; on ray cypselae ± 20 lanceolate to subulate scales 0.5-1.8 mm; on disc cypselae 15-35 subulate to setiform scales (4-)5-7 mm. 2n = 18.

Flowering May-Aug. Shale slopes with pines; of conservation concern; 2100-2600 m; Colo.

Distinctions between Townsendia glabella and T. rothrockii are subtle. Types of the two names are probably better considered to be conspecific.