It is endemic to Utah in the United States, where it grows on rocky ridges and outcrops of sandstone, shale, clay, and sand.

This perennial herb produces stout, decumbent stems up to 10 or 20 centimeters long from a caudex.

The basal leaves may have toothed edges and the upper ones are smooth-edged.

The inflorescence is a raceme of flowers with narrow yellow petals.

hemiphysaria occurs on the Wasatch Plateau of Utah, while ssp.