Plants 0.5-2 m. Stems erect or arching, crisped-puberulent, gla-brescent; spines at nodes 1-3, 2-19 mm; prickles on inter-nodes absent or sparse to dense. Leaves: petiole (0.1-)0.7-2(-4) cm, crisped-puberulent; blade orbiculate or reniform-orbiculate, 3-5(-7)-lobed, cleft nearly to midrib, 0.5-1.6(-2.7) cm, base subcordate or truncate, surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes puberulent, rarely glandular-pubescent, lobes oblong to cuneate, margins with acute teeth, sometimes revolute, apex rounded. Inflorescences pendent, solitary flowers or 2(-4)-flowered racemes, 1.5-2.5 cm, axis puberulent, flowers evenly spaced. Pedicels not jointed, 0.5-1 mm, puberulent; bracts lanceolate, 0.5-4 mm, (with 2 smaller bractlets immediately proximal to each flower), puberulent. Flowers: hypanthium greenish white to white, tubular, (2.3-)4-6 mm, softly hispid abaxially, glabrous adaxially; sepals not overlapping, spreading, greenish white to white, lanceolate, (2.5-)3.5-7 mm; petals nearly connivent, erect, cream with red margins, whitish or pinkish, oblanceolate to spatulate-obovate, not conspicuously revolute or inrolled, 2-4.4 mm; nectary disc not prominent; stamens nearly as long as petals; filaments linear, 1.3-3 mm, glabrous; anthers cream to violet, oval, 0.5-1.6 mm, apex with cup-shaped depression; ovary pubescence not bristly, hairs soft; styles connate nearly to stigmas, 0.7-1 mm, glabrous. Berries palatable, dark red to black, globose, 5-10 mm, glabrous, sometimes sparsely puberulent or glandular-pubescent. 2n = 16. Flowering Apr-Jun(-Jul). Coniferous forests; 1700-3000 m; Ariz., Colo., N.Mex., Tex., Utah.