Plants 30-55 cm. Leaves: petioles 1-6 mm; blades ovate, lanceolate-ovate or elliptic to suborbiculate, 4-8(-12) × 3-9(-12) mm. Pappi callous crowns or of vestigial, hyaline scales. 2n = 34.

Flowering spring-fall. Crevices and rocky slopes in arid mountains; 1400-3000 m; Calif., Nev.

Variety megalocephala is relatively common, growing usually in volcanic, also granitic and limestone rock in arid mountains of western and south-central Nevada and adjacent California. The lack of rays and pappus bristles separates var. megalocephala from the similar Perityle stansburii.