Plants rhizomatous or with woody caudices. Herbage glabrous or sparsely hairy (arachnose). Stems usually 1, erect, branched distally, proximally woody, relatively densely leafy distally. Cauline leaves: proximal (1-)2-pinnately lobed (lobes linear, apices obtuse or acute), ultimate margins entire or denticulate, apices usually obtuse; distal linear to filiform (sometimes pinnately lobed, lobes linear to filiform). Arrays of heads relatively crowded. Cypselae 1.8-2.2 mm. 2n = 18.

Flowering Feb-Dec. Clay flats or canyon slopes; 50-400 m; Calif.

Variety implicata grows on Anacapa, San Nicolas, San Miguel, Santa Cruz, and Santa Rosa islands. Plants with 1-pinnately parted leaves are present in some populations on Santa Cruz Island.