Tetraneuris acaulis is a highly variable perennial plant that grows from a large, coarse taproot.

The leaves are tightly packed and may be spoon shaped (spatulate) or like a spear head with the widest part in the end third (oblanceolate), sometimes narrowly so (linear-oblanceolate).

[5] As of 2024[update] Plants of the World Online (POWO) and World Flora Online list Tetraneuris acaulis as the correct name with only Edward Lee Greene listed as the authority due to the narrowness of the original description by Frederick Traugott Pursh.

[9] It differs from the other varieties by being covered in very fine, woolly hairs that lay down on the surface of leaves (strigoso-canescent) and being found almost entirely east of the continental divide in North America.

[11] The first scientific description of this variety was by Edward Lee Greene in 1898 as a species named Tetraneuris arizonica.

[14] It grows in a range of habitats including alongside roads, on hillsides, in grasslands, edges of woods, aspen meadows at elevations of 1300–2900 meters.

[15] This variety is distinguished by being sparsely to densely hairy, and its hairs usually being long and interwoven (lanuginose), but occasionally they will be silky and lay down on the surface of the leaves (sericeous).

[5] Plants may bloom as early as May or as late as September in its high mountain habitat, but more frequently between June and August.

[16] Aven Nelson gave a scientific description to this variety in 1904 as a species named Tetraneuris epunctata.

It was described as a variety by Arthur Cronquist in 1994 and reclassified along with the rest of the species by John T. Kartesz and Kanchi Gandhi in 1995.

[5] This variety blooms as early as May or as late as September, but rarely after the month of July in its native range.

[19] This species is very widespread in the United States from Texas and California in the south to Idaho and North Dakota.

[2][23] In Saskatchewan a single colony of the plant, apparently not reproducing, is found on the Missouri Coteau 11–12 kilometers south of Mortlach.

[24] It grows in a variety of habitat types in foothills and subalpine regions,[25] and high prairie, badlands,[26] and plains.

The Hopi used a poultice of the plant to relieve hip and back pain in pregnant women, and to make a stimulating drink.

arizonica was tested at Utah State University and found to be very high in comparison with many other cultivated plants.