It is native to much of western North America, where it grows in mountain, desert, and plateau habitats.

It is an annual herb producing a stem up to 42 centimeters long, sometimes growing upright.

The leaves are up to 11 centimeters long in the basal rosette, divided into even comblike lobes, and smaller higher up on the plant.

The fruit is a narrow, straight or curving utricle 1 to 3 centimeters long.

Though native to North America this species has not been evaluated by NatureServe and assigned a conservation status at the global level.