Perennials, 2-5 cm; taprooted, roots sometimes barely evident, caudices diffuse, with extensive systems of rhizomelike, relatively long, slender branches. Stems erect (simple, ± scapiform), finely and loosely villous, minutely glandular. Leaves basal (persistent); blades oblanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, 5-25(-30) × 2-5 mm , strongly reduced distally, margins usually entire, smallest and earliest usually 3-toothed or -lobed apically (lobes or teeth acute), ultimately entire, finely and loosely lanate-villous, eglandular. Heads 1. Involucres 9-13 × 12-23 mm. Phyllaries in 2-3 series (purple or purple-tipped), moderately to densely, finely and loosely villous (hairs sometimes with purple cross walls), minutely glandular. Ray florets 30-80; corollas white or purplish, 8-11 mm, laminae not coiling or reflexing, spreading. Disc corollas 5-6.5 mm. Cypselae 3.5-4 mm, 2-nerved, faces finely hirtellous to glabrate; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 25-35 (whitish to tawny) bristles (often twisted). 2n = 36.

Flowering Jul-Aug. Open, rocky, alpine and subalpine habitats, often on limestone talus; (1300-)2100-4100 m; Alta., B.C.; Colo., Mont., Wyo.