Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alberta to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains.

Habitat: Sand dunes and sandy river banks to dry, gravelly soil, sagebrush deserts and grasslands at low elevations.

Flowers: April-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Glabrous perennial from deep-set, widely-spreading rhizomes, strongly reddish-tinged, the erect stems 1.5-5 dm. tall, freely branched, the sheathing stipules conspicuous, white.

Leaves numerous, all cauline, thick and leathery, the lower reduced; leaf blades oblong-elliptic to broadly lanceolate, 6-12 cm. long, tapered to short petioles.

Inflorescence a small, leafy-bracteate, loose panicle; pedicels slender, 10-15 mm. long, weakly jointed at mid-length; outer 3 perianth segments erect to spreading, 4-5 mm. long; inner 3 segments becoming greatly enlarged, 20-25 mm. long, reddish, nearly orbicular but cordate-based, entire, strongly net-veined, without a lump at the base; styles 3.

Achene smooth, 5-6 mm. long.