Perennials, 3-12(-25+) cm. Stems decumbent to erect; internodes 5-10(-20+) mm, pilose to strigose (surfaces seldom hidden by hairs). Leaves basal and cauline, blades narrowly oblanceolate to linear, 6-20(-35) × 1-2(-3.5) mm, not fleshy, faces piloso-strigose to strigose. Heads at tips of stems (usually surpassed by leaves). Involucres ± campanulate to hemispheric, (5-)7-13 mm diam. Phyllaries 22-40+ in 4-5 series, the longer ± lance-ovate to lanceolate, 5-8 mm (l/w = 2.5-5), apices acute, abaxial faces strigose. Ray florets 10-25+; corollas white or pinkish adaxially, laminae 5-10 mm, usually glabrous, sometimes glandular-puberulent abaxially. Disc florets (20-)40-80; corollas 2-3.5+ mm. Cypselae 2-3+ mm, faces hairy, hair tips glochidiform; pappi persistent; on ray cypselae 12-20(-30) lanceolate to subulate scales 0.2-0.5(-1.5) mm; on disc cypselae 15-25+ subulate to setiform scales 2.5-3+ mm.

Flowering Jun-Aug. Sandy or rocky soils, desert scrub, pinyon/juniper woodlands; of conservation concern; 1200-2400 m; Colo., N.Mex.

Upon naming Townsendia fendleri, Gray stated that it 'most resembles' T. fremontii Torrey & A. Gray (i.e., T. incana). I feel that the affinity of T. fendleri may be closer to T. strigosa than to T. incana.