Plants perennial; taproot en-larged, woody. Stems 1-several, ascending or decumbent, often branched distally, 3-10 dm, sericeous-tomentose with white hairs. Leaves usually crowded at base, few on stems, sessile or short-petiolate; blade lanceolate, proximal leaves 3-12 × 0.5-2.5 cm, base attenuate, apex acute or rarely obtuse, scaberulous or canescent adaxially, sericeous-tomentose with bright whitish hairs abaxially. Spikes dense, stout, flowers arranged in 3-ranked spiral; bracteoles dark, glabrous. Flowers (3.5-)4-5.5 mm; perianth lobes narrowly oblong, apex obtuse, or acutish, pubescence dense, bright white; filament lobes stramineous or darkened, blunt. Utricles narrowly or broadly winged laterally, 2.5-5.5 × 3-4.5 mm, longer than broad, wing margins irregularly dentate, 1 or both surfaces of perianth with 1 or more basal tubercles or spines. Flowering year-round. Open rocky or gravelly hillsides; 700-2200 m; Ariz., N.Mex., Tex.; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León).

Plant: Perennial forb, sparingly branched above the base, to 70 cm; herbage lanate-tomentose Leaves: leaves opposite, oblanceolate, 1-2 cm wide, mostly basal Flowers: flowers inconspicuous, subtended by dark-colored bracts, in somewhat elongate glomerules Fruit: an indehiscent utricle.