[7] This plant is a perennial herb with stems 25 to 35 centimeters long growing from a tuber-like rootstock.

The leaves are divided deeply into 5 to 7 lobes, the blades dark green in color and 3 to 6 centimeters wide.

The flower is 6 to 8 centimeters wide with five orange petals with dark red-brown spots at the bases.

In the Santa Rita Mountains it grows on limestone talus and in Mexico it has been found on granite.

Other plants in the habitat include Eysenhardtia, Erythrina, Cercidium floridum, Tecoma, Agave schottii, Heteropogon, Fouquieria, Calliandra, Opuntia spp., Krameria, Janusia gracilis, Agave palmeri and Hibiscus coulteri.