Plant: annual, stem ascending to erect, 3.5-21 cm Leaves: generally alternate, generally 0.5-4 cm, ± linear, strigose to sharp-bristled INFLORESCENCE: cymes; pedicels in fruit 2-3 mm, generally recurved Flowers: sepals generally < fruit, upper 2 in fruit generally > others; corolla 0.8-3 mm, white; style attached to receptacle, unbranched, generally persistent, stigma 1, head-like Fruit: Fruit: nutlets strongly recurved to coiled, 2.5-4 mm, linear; margin teeth distinct ± to base, linear (or width at base < length) Misc: Shelter of rocks, bases of shrubs, sometimes roadsides, creosote-bush scrub, Joshua-tree woodland; 10-1600 m.; Mar-May References: J.C. Hickman. The Jepson Manual. Kearney & Peebles. Arizona Flora. W.B. McDougal. Seed plants of Northern Arizona. ASU specimens.