It is native to the western United States where it occurs in forests, woodlands, and chaparral habitat.

This rhizomatous herb produces a cluster of stems up to about 27 centimeters tall.

The fan-like leaf blades are each divided into leaflets which are deeply dissected into narrow segments, the whole blade borne on a long petiole.

A solitary flower is borne on a long, upright stem.

It has five yellow petals, the lower three veined with purple-brown and the upper two stained purple-brown on the outer surfaces.