This plant is a small perennial herb emerging from an enlarged underground stem, referred to as a caudex.

[5] This species is heterostylous, meaning that the flowers have styles of differing lengths.

[5] Small named the genus Jepsonia after Willis Linn Jepson.

In California, this species is found in the far southern coast and the Peninsular Ranges, distributed in Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties.

[7] This plant usually inhabits shrubby, rocky to brushy clay slopes, often north-facing, and usually below 1100–1200 m.[4] It is also occasionally found in rich flatlands or shaded rock crevices.