Perennials, 10–20(–30) cm; taprooted, caudices woody, branches rhizomelike. Stems usually decumbent-ascending, sometimes nearly erect, sparsely to densely white-villous (hairs loose, thin, often crinkly) or sparsely hispido-pilose (hairs usually stiff, spreading, sometimes antrorsely ascending or appressed; var. viscidulus), usually densely minutely glandular at least distally, sometimes eglandular or obscurely glandular (var. viscidulus). Leaves cauline; blades narrowly oblong to oblanceolate, 10–25 × 1–5 mm, usually even-sized, margins entire, ciliate, faces sparsely to densely villous to hirsuto-villous, usually densely minutely glandular, sometimes eglandular or obscurely glandular (var. viscidulus). Heads (discoid) (1–)2–5(–10) in corymbiform arrays. Involucres 5.5–7(–8) × 8–12 mm. Phyllaries in 3–5 series (sometimes purplish apically), usually glabrous, sometimes with spreading hairs, densely glandular. Ray (pistillate) florets 0. Disc corollas 4–6 mm (throats slightly indurate, not inflated). Cypselae (2–)2.5–3 mm, 2-nerved, glabrous; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 22–30(–35) bristles.

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora): California.