It is endemic to the southern half of California, where it grows in many types of habitat, including coastal and valley grassland, chaparral, woodland, and desert.

Monolopia lanceolata is an annual herb producing a slender, sometimes branching stem up to about 80 centimeters tall.

The inflorescences at the ends of stem branches bear small hemispheric flower heads.

The golden ray florets are 1 to 2 centimeters long and have three-lobed tips.

The fruit is a rough-haired achene 2 to 4 millimeters long.