Stems erect, 14-38 cm, sparsely pilose, each with 2-12 flowers. Roots cylindric, 1-2.5 mm thick. Basal leaves deciduous, all (except sometimes innermost) shed before anthesis, leaving dense brush of fibers, blades semicircular to reniform, outer leaves undivided, inner 5-7-parted, 3.2-4 × 4-6.2 cm, base obtuse to cordate, margins entire or toothed, apices of segments acute to rounded. Flowers: pedicels pubescent or glabrous; receptacle canescent; sepals 3-5 × 1-3 mm, abaxially glabrous or sparsely pilose, hairs colorless; petals 5(-11), 7-15 × 2-6 mm; nectary scale ciliate. Heads of achenes ovoid or cylindric, 4-10 × 4-6 mm; achenes 1.8-2.5 × 1.5-2 mm, finely and densely canescent; beak subulate, straight, 0.8-1.2 mm, brittle and often broken.

Flowering summer (Jul-Sep). Stream banks; 1500-2400 m; Ariz., N.Mex.; Mexico (Sonora, Chihuahua, and Durango).