Plants 2-10(-15) cm. Leaves blunt (proximal) or acute (median and distal), mucronate, longest 6-13 mm; largest capitular leaves ± elliptic to narrowly ovate, 3-10 × 2-3 mm. Heads in cymiform to ± paniculiform, sometimes dichasi-form arrays, ± spheric, largest 3.5-4.5 × 3-4 mm, thickly lanuginose. Phyllaries 0, vestigial, or falling, ± subulate, mostly 0.1-0.5 mm, unequal. Receptacles clavate, 1.2-2.2 mm, heights 2.8-3.5 times diams.; scars ± evenly distributed, mamillate. Pistillate paleae: longest 1.9-3.1 mm, winged distally; wings ± elliptic, widest in distal ¹/3 of palea lengths; bodies (except midnerves) chartaceous; outermost paleae ± saccate. Functionally staminate florets 2-5; ovaries partially developed, 0.3-0.6 mm; corollas 0.9-1.4 mm. Cypselae 0.6-0.8 mm, slightly compressed; pappi: staminate of (1-)3-8 barbellate bristles 0.9-1.3 mm (proximal barbs longer, spreading). Flowering and fruiting Mar-May. Grassy hillsides, sandy drainages, with mesquite (Prosopis); 400-1400 m; Ariz., Calif.; Mexico (Sonora). Stylocline sonorensis is known from southeastern Arizona and northeastern Sonora. A disjunct, 1930 California occurrence was from apparently suitable habitat; recent searches have not relocated it.

Stylocline sonorensis is illustrated in J. D. Morefield (1992). It is superficially similar to S. citroleum; its closest relative is S. micropoides. Its ancestors may have been hybrid products involving Logfia depressa or its progenitors (Morefield).