Plants annual, with minute, tuberous body; periderm absent. Stems 2-10 cm. Leaves: basal leaf blades linear to narrowly lanceolate, 1-5 × 0.05-0.2 cm; cauline leaves sessile, blade linear, 1-3 cm. Inflorescences multi-bracteate; proximalmost bract 5-10 mm, leaflike, distal bracts 1 mm or less, reduced to membranous scales. Flowers 10-12 mm diam.; sepals 1.5-2.5 mm; petals white, pink, or candy-striped, 6-10 mm; ovules 6. Seeds (1-)6, 1-2 mm, shiny and smooth; elaiosome 1 mm or less. 2n = 12.

Flowering early Mar. Selaginella mats and crevices of cliffs and rock faces in Great Basin sagebrush and ponderosa pine belt; 200-1200 m; Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Wash.