Plants perennial, cespitose, 5–30 cm; caudices woody, branched.
Stems of one kind, strigose, with weak bristles.
Leaves basal and cauline similar, obovate to oblanceolate, 1–6 cm, smaller distally, tips usually obtuse, surfaces strigose-pustulose and tomentose, with appressed or slightly spreading bristles.
Inflorescences bracts inconspicuous.
Flowers calyces 3–5 mm, 5–11 mm in fruit, > nutlets, lobes linear, tips acute, surfaces densely strigose with slender bristles; corollas white, tubes ? calyces, limbs 8–10 mm wide; fornices yellow; styles exceeding mature nutlets.
Fruits ovate to lanceolate, 3–4.5 mm, tips acute or obtuse, surfaces somewhat glossy, adaxial surfaces tuberculate to muricatetuberculate with a few irregular ridges; attachment scars narrowly open to open, narrowly triangular near base.
Alpine ridges. Flowering May–Jun. 1000–1600 m. BR, Owy. CA, ID, NV; northeast to MT, southeast to AZ. Native.