It is endemic to California, where it is known from the forests and woodlands of the Sierra Nevada.

This is an erect annual herb with oval-shaped leaves each a few centimeters long.

Each petal is up to about 1.5 centimeters long and lavender and white, speckled with reddish or purple.

It has a diamond-shaped blade at the end of a lobed, narrow claw.

There are 8 stamens each bearing a large anther with blue-gray pollen.