Annuals, 10-200 cm (taproots relatively large). Stems single, branches divaricately or freely spreading, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Leaves withered at flowering; basal blades linear to oblanceolate, runcinate, 3-10 cm, margins pinnately lobed; cauline much reduced, bractlike . Heads borne singly or clustered along branches or in paniculiform arrays. Peduncles 2-10 mm (along branches), or 10-40 mm (in paniculiform arrays). Calyculi of appressed or reflexed bractlets (glabrous, pubescent, or stipitate-glandular). Involucres 5-7 mm (glabrous, puberulent, or densely stipitate-glandular). Florets 5-11. Cypselae light tan to dark brown, 2.1-6.8 mm, faces smooth to tuberculate, grooved; pappi of 5-24 tan or white bristles (falling or widened bases persistent, bases connate in groups of 2-4 distal portions breaking off), plumose on distal 50-85%. 2n = 16.

Plant: Annual forb to 60 cm; herbage glabrous with milky sap Leaves: leaves alternate much-reduced above; deeply lobed to pinnatifid below Flowers: flowers all ligulate and equal in size, white to pink or rose Fruit: achenes columnar, 5-angled or 5-ribbed; pappus bristles plumose. Misc: Desert scrub, dry disturbed ground; < 2000 m.