Plants 4–12 cm. Stems erect or decumbent, mostly buried, not much elongated by end of season, canescent to tomentose. Leaves: basal: 1–6; petiole 4.6–9.5 cm, tomentose; blade purplish abaxially, gray adaxially, ovate, oblong, or orbiculate, 1.1–5 × 1–3.4 cm, base attenuate, often oblique, margins coarsely repand-dentate to irregularly crenate or shallowly and irregularly serrate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces tomentose; cauline: petiole 1.5–5.5 cm, tomentose; blade ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.3–3.7 × 0.7–2 cm, length 0.8–1.4 times width, base attenuate, sometimes oblique, margins usually irregularly serrate, sometimes entire and undulate, apex usually acute, surfaces tomentose. Peduncles 2.4–10.5 cm, tomentose. Lowest petals 8–13 mm. Capsules 4–7 mm. Seeds medium brown, 2.5–2.9 mm. Flowering Apr–Jun. Pinyon-juniper woodland, sagebrush (Great Basin); 1000–2300 m; Calif., Nev.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Pinyon-juniper woodland, sagebrush (Great Basin)
Elevation: 1000–2300 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Calif., Nev.

Discussion

Flowers of var. aurea have been observed to close up in late afternoon, then fully reopen the following morning.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.