Perennials, 20-50 cm (caudices woody). Stems branched, villous, stipitate-glandular. Leaves alternate; petioles 0-2 mm; blades 3-nerved from bases, ovate, 15-30 × 5-25 mm, bases rounded to truncate, margins evenly to irregularly serrate, apices acute, faces viscid-glandular. Heads borne singly or in open, cymiform arrays (each head subtended by leaflike bracts). Peduncles 0-2 mm. Involucres broadly cylindric to campanulate, 14-18 mm. Phyllaries (24-)36-42 in (3-)5-7 series, greenish or stramineous, often purple-tinged, 3-5-striate, unequal, margins narrowly scarious (apices acute to long-acuminate); outer lance-ovate to lanceolate (sparsely gland-dotted), inner narrowly lanceolate (glabrous). Florets 44-60; corollas yellow-green, often purple-tinged, 8-10 mm. Cypselae 5.5-7 mm, glabrate to hispidulous; pappi of 20-30 white, barbellate bristles. 2n = 18.

Flowering Jul-Sep. Open rocky slopes, canyon bottoms, riparian areas, serpentine soils; 800-2200 m; Calif., Oreg.

A sweet odor is often associated with Brickellia greenei.