Perennials (often short-lived) , 10-30 cm; taprooted, caudices woody, simple (stems and leaves arising from near roots). Stems erect (brittle, often subintricately branched), hispidulous (hairs sometimes downcurved or deflexed), eglandular. Leaves mostly cauline (basal abruptly withering); proximal cauline blades usually linear-oblong, rarely oblanceolate to obovate, 4-10(-20) × 2-6 mm, reduced distally, margins entire, faces hispid, minutely glandular. Heads 1(-3) per main branch, (-20-30 in later season on wiry, brittle branches). Involucres 4-5 × 6-8 mm. Phyllaries in (2-)3-4 series, glabrous or outer sparsely hispid, minutely glandular. Ray florets 20-40(-50); corollas white to pink or purplish, without abaxial midstripe, 5-9 mm, laminae not coiling or reflexing. Disc corollas 3.5-4 mm (throats slightly white-indurate and inflated). Cypselae 1.5-1.9 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose; pappi: outer of scales, inner of 15-18(-23) bristles. 2n = 36.

Flowering Apr-Nov (with available moisture). Rocky slopes and ledges, with Agave, Yucca, Dasylirion, Prosopis, Larrea; (1000-)1500-2100 m; N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Zacatecas).