Stems 5-30 cm, glabrous. Leaves: basal blades erect to somewhat spreading, filiform, 3-8 cm × 0.5-1 mm, herbaceous. Inflorescences capitate, often rounded, dense cymes; bracts closely enveloping sepals. Pedicels ± absent, shorter than 0.2 mm, occasionally to 2 mm, glabrous. Sepals conspic-uously 1 to weakly 3-veined, 3.5-5 mm, apex obtuse to rounded. 2n = 22.

Flowering spring-summer. Open, gravelly or sandy soil of plains, mountain slopes, and ridges; 1200-3500 m; Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.