Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in southeastern Washington; southeastern Washington to California, east to Montana, Utah, and Nevada.

Habitat: Gravelly sagebrush-covered hills from moderate elevations to the alpine.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Tufted perennial from a freely-branched, woody base, forming mats 5-15 cm. broad; flowering stems numerous, 10-20 cm. tall, glandular-pubescent with dark-tipped hairs.

Leaves mostly basal, forming thick, prickly cushions, rigid and sharp-pointed, spreading, narrowly linear, 1-2 cm. long and less than 0.5 mm. wide; cauline leaves few, 1-2 pairs, greatly reduced.

Flowers several to numerous, in open, diffuse cymes; sepals 5, broadly ovate, 3-4 mm. long, obtuse, wing-margined and purplish-tinged; petals 5, white, nearly twice as long as the sepals; stamens 10; styles 3.

Capsule ovoid, about the length of the calyx, dehiscent by 6 teeth.