Subshrubs, 45-130 cm (taproots forming woody crowns). Herbage glabrous or sparsely hairy. Stems usually multiple (arching upwards). Leaves evenly distributed (often crowded; proximal often withering and pendulous); sessile or ± petiolate; blades linear-filiform, 3-12 cm × 1-3 mm, bases ± linear, margins entire. Heads 5-20 in corymbiform arrays (involucres campanulate). Calyculi 0 or of 1-3+ lance-deltate to linear bractlets (lengths to ¹ / 4 phyllaries). Phyllaries ± 13, 7-10 mm, tips green. Ray florets ± 8; corolla laminae 8-10 mm. Cypselae hirtellous (canescent). 2n = 40.

Flowering summer-early fall. Coastal sand dunes and sandy, open flood plains; of conservation concern; 0-100 m; Calif.