Biennials or perennials, (2-)3-15(-30) cm. Stems ± erect; internodes (0.1-)2-25(-50) mm, strigose. Leaves basal and cauline, blades spatulate to oblanceolate or linear, 20-40(-90+) × 1-5(-10) mm, not fleshy (margins strigoso-ciliate), faces usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely strigillose (midribs scabrous). Heads at tips of stems (usually surpassed by leaves). Involucres hemispheric, (8-)10-14+ mm diam. Phyllaries 30-40+ in 4-5+ series, the longer lance-ovate to lanceolate, 8-10(-12+) mm (l/w = 3-5), apices acute to attenuate (most hard, apiculate), abaxial faces sparsely strigillose or glabrous. Ray florets 20-40; corollas usually white adaxially, laminae 7-15(-20+) mm, glabrous abaxially. Disc florets (60-)80-120+; corollas 4-6 mm. Cypselae 3.5-4+ mm, faces hairy, hair tips forked or glochidiform; pappi persistent; on ray cypselae each a corona 0.1-0.5 mm or 10-20 subulate scales 1-2.5 mm; on disc cypselae 15-30 subulate to setiform scales (4-)5-6 mm. 2n = 18.

Flowering Jun-Aug(-Sep). Grassy slopes, gypseous shales; 1300-2400 m; Colo., Nebr., N.Mex., S.Dak., Wyo.