Leaves 3-11 mm. Cypselae (ray) 3 mm.

Plant: Shrub, glabrous; stems much-branched, widely spreading to ascending, generally < 6 dm, striate, smooth, white above, grayish below; leafless stems spiny Leaves: short-petioled, generally < 2 cm, obovate or elliptic, entire, sometimes ± thick, light yellow- or gray-green INFLORESCENCE: primary inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower; heads radiate, in crowded, flat-topped clusters generally 3-5 cm wide; involucres cylindric, ± 5 mm, < 3 mm wide; phyllaries 7-12, ovate, whitish or pale green Flowers: Ray flowers 1-2, barely > involucre, tips 2- or 3-toothed, yellow; Disk flowers 3-7, staminate; corollas narrowly funnel-shaped, sinuses deep, lobes reflexed, style-branch appendages lanceolate to rounded Fruit: achenes; of ray flowers < or = 3 mm, hairy; pappus of 15-20 stout bristles fused at base, generally 1 mm; ovary of disk flowers < or = 1 mm, glabrous; pappus of 25 flattened, twisted bristles generally < or = 3 mm Misc: Rocky or gravelly flats, slopes, canyons; < 1600 m.