Plant: Annual herb; to 21 cm tall Leaves: without distinct petiole; blades linear to linear-lanceolate, 1-15 cm long, 0.1-0.7 cm wide, acute to acuminate at apex, sparsely to densely villous, distinctly 3-veined below, the margins entire INFLORESCENCE: pedunculate, scapose; PEDUNCLES 2-22 cm long, hirsute, with most hairs appressed-ascending. SPIKES 1-13 cm long; bracts linear-triangular to subulate, 2-16 mm long, longer than sepals, scarious-margined at base or to near middle, sparsely to densely villous, with tufts of white hairs in axils, with midvein long ciliate Flowers: perfect; sepals obovate, 2-5 mm long, broadly scarious-margined, villous; corolla lobes spreading or reflexed, broadly ovate, 1.2-2.5 mm long; stamens 4 Fruit: capsules, breaking at or slightly below middle; SEEDS 2, ca. 2.2 mm long, ca. 1.2 mm wide, reddish-brown to light brown to dark brown (rarely black), the inner surface concave, the outer surface rounded and alveolate Misc: Deserts and desert grasslands; 400-2100 m (1200-6800 ft.); Feb to Jul References: Huisinga, Kristin D. and Tina J. Ayers. 1999. Plantaginaceae. Ariz. – Nev. Acad. Sci. 32(1).