Herbage moderately to sparsely hairy, hairs spreading to ret­rorse. Stems almost absent or to 2 cm. Leaves in basal rosettes; blade apices usually rounded to acuminate, sometimes subacute. Bracts (4–)6–9 mm wide, apex rounded.

Flowering Apr–Jun. Coastal scrub, dry hills, grassy sites, oak woodland; 0–600 m; Calif.

Subspecies subacaulis intergrades with Calystegia occidentalis subsp. occidentalis, C. malacophylla subsp. pedicellata, and C. subacaulis subsp. episcopalis.