Shrubs, 50-130 cm. Leaves mostly alternate; petioles (0-)3-7 mm; blades lanceolate to lance-ovate, 1.4-4.3 × 0.6-2.5 cm, margins ± laciniate, faces sparsely strigillose and gland-dotted or resinous (abaxial resinous, shiny). Heads (1-)3-9. Peduncles 0.5-5 cm. Involucres hemispheric, 8-12 × 6-9 mm. Phyllaries 20-25, 4-8 × 1.8-2.2 mm. Paleae lance-ovate, 4.5-7.3 mm (densely glandular). Ray florets 5-13; laminae 6-12 mm. Disc florets 50+; corollas 3.5-4.6 mm. Cypselae 1.7-3.5 mm (± strigose, margins ciliolate); pappi of 2 lacerate, aristate scales 1-2.5 mm plus 2-6 (easily detached) lacerate-erose scales 0.2-0.5 mm. 2n = 36.

Flowering Jan-Jun(-Sep). Xeric scrub; 90-800 m; Calif.; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora).

Within the flora area, Bahiopsis laciniata is found only in San Diego County; its range extends south into the xeric Central Desert area of Baja California.