Stems 15-25 cm, glabrous to stipitate-glandular. Leaves: basal blades mostly erect, filiform, (2-)3-8 cm × 0.3-0.7 mm, herbaceous. Inflorescences subcapitate, subcongested to proliferating cymes; bracts scattered within inflorescence. Pedicels 1-6(-15) mm, glabrous or sometimes stipitate-glandular. Sepals weakly to conspicuously 1-3-veined, (4.5-)5-6 mm, apex acute to acuminate or spinose, glabrous or glandular.

Flowering late spring-summer. Sagebrush plains and slopes; 500-900 m; Alta.; Idaho, Nev., Oreg., Wash.

We consider var. glandulifera to be a glandular extreme of var. prolifera. It is known from a single specimen (Ownbey & Ownbey 2763, NY) collected in Valley County, Idaho, in 1946. While most specimens of var. prolifera are glabrous, the pubescence on the stems and pedicels of a collection from Douglas County, Washington (Hitchcock 17459, WTU) closely approaches that seen on the type of var. glandulifera.