Plants perennial, with minute, tuberous body, producing rhizomes and stolons; rhizomes 0.5-3 mm diam.; periderm absent. Stems 1-20 cm. Leaves: basal leaves 1-15 cm, blade elliptic to spatulate, 1-8 × 1-2 cm; cauline leaves sessile, blade lanceolate to ovate, 2 times or less longer than broad, 1-2 cm. Inflorescences ebracteate. Flowers 15-20 mm diam.; sepals 6-8 mm; petals pink to magenta with yellow blotch at base, 10-16 mm; ovules 6. Seeds (1-)6, 2-4 mm, shiny and smooth; elaiosome prominent, 2-3 mm. 2n = 10, 12, 16, 24.

Flowering May-Aug. Moist tundra and meadows; 0-2000 m; B.C., Yukon; Alaska; Russia.

Claytonia sarmentosa reproduces almost entirely from stolons and rhizomes.