Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Alberta, Wyoming, and Utah.

Habitat: Dry or moist subalpine to alpine meadows, rocky slopes, and ridges.

Flowers: July-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Apomixis, butterflies, flies, wasps

Perennial from a short woody base, not rhizomatous, 1-2 dm. tall, densely and persistently white-woolly throughout.

Basal leaves erect, tufted and persistant, 3-10 cm. long and 3-10 mm. wide, usually with 3 main veins; cauline leaves linear, progressively reduced upward.

Heads several in a compact inflorescence; pistillate involucres 5-8 mm. high, white-woolly toward the usually greenish base, the scarious portion dark brown or greenish-black below, paler toward the whitish tip; staminate involucres similar but smaller.

Achene terete.