Herbs perennial, densely strigillose and villous; from a taproot, lateral roots producing adventitious shoots. Stems ascending to decumbent, un­branched or branched, new rosettes not forming at branch apex, 10–40 cm. Leaves: blade oblong to oblanceolate or spatulate, margins usually conspic­uously dentate to pinnatifid, rarely some or all entire or weakly dentate. Flowers: floral tube 25–35 mm; sepals 15–30 mm; petals 25–35(–40) mm. Capsules 20–80 mm. 2n = 14.

Flowering (Apr–)May–Jul. Sandy-gravelly flats, desert scrub, Joshua tree woodlands, oak woodlands, pinyon-juniper or pine woodlands; 800–2500 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah.

Subspecies avita occurs in southeastern California (south of areas just north of Bishop) mostly to the east of subsp. californica, eastward to northwestern Arizona, southern half of Nevada, and southwestern Utah. Some populations in the mountains of San Diego County, California, and northern Baja California (Sierra de San Pedro Mártir) appear to fit within subsp. avita (J. Rebman, pers. comm.).