Plants 5-20 cm. Cauline leaf bases cuneate . Heads usually borne singly. Phyllaries often purple-tinged, oblanceolate or narrowly oblong (outer) to linear (inner), subequal, outer scarcely foliaceous, apices acute. 2n = 16, 32. Flowering Jun-Aug. Alpine and subalpine meadows; 2700-3600 m; B.C.; Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.Mex., Utah, Wash., Wyo.