Plants 10-30(-40) cm. Leaves: proximal blades 2-6 cm, margins entire or ± undulate, faces densely lanate to woolly; cauline leaves (0 or 1-2 proximal to mid stems) narrowly lanceolate. Heads 1(-2). Involucres obconic, 10-12 mm diam. Phyllaries 8-11 mm, outer narrowly obovate to oblong-lanceolate, apices acuminate. Ray florets 12-21; laminae usually yellow, sometimes red-tinged, 8-10 mm. Disc corollas yellow. Cypselae 5-7 mm; pappus scales subequal, 1-2 mm. 2n = 38.

Flowering late spring-summer. Rocky slopes, talus, and flats, alpine or coniferous forest, on various substrates; 2000-3000 m; Calif.

Subspecies vestita grows in and near the Sierra Nevada.