It grows in rocky slopes, chaparral, woodlands, montane forests and serpentine soils.

[1] It is a perennial herb producing an erect, purple stem up to about 40 centimeters in maximum height.

The oppositely arranged leaves are leathery, widely lance-shaped, and up to 3 centimeters long.

The inflorescence is a head of several flowers blooming in a cup of leathery purplish bracts.

The pinkish purple flowers are just over a centimeter long, narrow and tubular in shape with pointed lobes and protruding stamens.