Bulbostylis microphylla Nuttall, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 286. 1840

Shrubs, 30–70 cm. Stems much branched, pubescent, gland-dotted. Leaves alternate; petioles 0–3 mm; blades 3-nerved from bases, ovate to suborbiculate, 3–20 × 1–15 mm, bases acute to obtuse or rounded, margins entire, coarsely dentate or serrate, apices rounded to acute, faces glandular-villous or hispidulous. Heads in loose, paniculiform arrays (often clustered at ends of branches). Peduncles (bracteate) 2–10 mm, viscid to glandular-villous. Involucres cylindric to narrowly campanulate, 7–12 mm. Phyllaries 30–48 in 5–8 series, greenish, often purple-tinged, 3–5-striate, (recurved or spreading) unequal, margins scarious (apices acute to acuminate); outer obovate to suborbiculate (glandular-pubescent; mid sometimes 3-toothed with middle tooth elongated), inner linear-oblong (glabrous or sparsely gland-dotted). Florets 8–28(–34); corollas pale yellow, often purple-tinged, 5.5–7 mm. Cypselae 3.5–4.7 mm, glabrous or hirtellous; pappi of 18–24 white, barbellulate bristles.

Varieties 2–3 (2 in the flora): w United States, Mexico.