Plants (3-)10-20(-40+) cm. Stems proximally glabrous or stellate-pubescent, distally usually piloso-hirsute (hairs 1-8+ mm) and/or stellate-pubescent and/or stipitate-glandular, sometimes glabrous. Leaves: basal (3-)5-12+, cauline 0-2(-3+); blades obovate to spatulate or oblanceolate, (15-)25-40(-60+) × 5-10(-25+) mm, lengths 2-3+ times widths, bases cuneate, margins usually entire, rarely denticulate, apices rounded to obtuse (often apiculate), faces usually glabrous, sometimes stipitate-glandular and/or scabrellous. Heads usually 2-8+ in corymbiform arrays, sometimes borne singly. Peduncles stellate-pubescent and stipitate-glandular. Calyculi: bractlets 5-8+. Involucres ± campanulate, (6-)7-10 mm. Phyllaries 13-21+, apices acuminate, abaxial faces piloso-hirsute (hairs 1-3+ mm), stellate-pubescent, and stipitate-glandular. Florets 20-60+; corollas yellow, 5-6 mm. Cypselae columnar, 1.5-3.5 mm; pappi of 30-40+ white or sordid bristles in ± 2 series, 4-5 mm.

Flowering (Jun-)Jul-Aug(-Sep). Rocky slopes, stream sides, conifer forests, drying meadows, subalpine meadows; 100-3500 m; Alta., B.C., N.W.T., Yukon; Alaska, Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., N.Mex., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.