[2] They are an annual herb native to the western United States including Idaho, California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Washington and Arizona, namely the Mojave Desert which runs through many of them.

[3][4] This small plant grows a woolly erect stem up to about 2-15 centimeters tall with leaves 3-20mm in length.

[4] The inflorescence is a cluster of flowers surrounded by five hairy greenish to reddish bracts tipped with hooked awns 1–2 mm in length.

[3] The flower is 0.5–1 cm in diameter and yellow in color and grow from April/May to July/August in the USA's summer months.

[1][2][3][5] Specimens observed in the northern areas of the range, (such as the south-east Washington's Palouse Prairies) usually have three stamens.