Plants 5-50 cm. Leaves densely villous or hirsute, stipitate-glandular (glands yellow, brown, or black). Involucres 5-10 mm. Anthers reddish to dark purple. Pappi of 8-12 narrowly oblanceo-late to linear scales. 2n = 26.

Flowering May-Nov. Grasslands, ± alkaline plains, vernal pool edges and beds, disturbed sites (e.g., fallow fields), open woodlands, sometimes on serpentine; 0-1000 m; Calif., Oreg.

Centromadia fitchii occurs widely in northern and central California (except deserts) and southwestern Oregon and has putatively introduced populations in southwestern California. Unlike most other members of Centromadia, C. fitchii often occurs in upland, presumably well-drained sites. Putative natural hybrids with C. parryi subsp. rudis have been noted (e.g., D. D. Keck 2573, UC, from San Joaquin Co., California).