Annuals, 5–35+ cm. Leaf blades oblanceolate to oblong-linear, 15–55+ × 3–12+ mm, lengths 4–6+ times widths, sometimes pinnately 2–4-lobed, ultimate margins ± dentate or entire. Peduncles 0–3(–11+) mm. Outer phyllaries 5, connate 0–¹/6 their lengths, lance-elliptic, 3–6 mm. Ray florets 5–8; corollas yellow, laminae oblong-ovate, 0.6–1.1+ × 0.5–10.8+ mm. Disc florets 5–8+. Fruits 2.2–3 mm. 2n = 40.

Flowering Aug–Sep. Openings in pine forests; 1200–1700 m; Ariz., Colo., Tex.; Mexico.

Specimens of Melampodium strigosum have been misidentified as M. hispidum Kunth, a synonym of M. sericeum (see T. F. Stuessy 1972). The station for M. strigosum in Colorado is ca. 1400 km distant from stations in Arizona and Texas.