Twigs sparsely short-hairy, eglandular. Leaf blades tomen-tose abaxially (at least younger leaves). Inflorescences sparsely short-hairy. 2n = 52.

Flowering winter-early spring. Maritime chaparral on stabilized dunes or coastal uplands; 0-200 m; Calif.

Subspecies tomentosa is locally abundant around southern Monterey Bay and in northern San Luis Obispo County, outer Central Coast Range.