Shrubs, 10–30(–50) cm (trunks relatively short, widely and loosely branched), pungently aromatic; not root-sprouting. Stems brown, glabrescent (vegetative of approximately equal heights, giving plants a ‘hedged’ appearance; bark dark gray, exfoliating with age). Leaves persistent, usually bright green to dark green, sometimes gray-green; blades cuneate, 3-lobed (lobes to 1/3 blade lengths, 0.5–2 × 0.2–1 cm, rounded), faces sparsely hairy, gland-dotted. Heads in paniculiform arrays 4–10 × 0.5–3 cm (branches ± erect; peduncles slender). Involucres narrowly turbinate, 2–3 × 2 mm. Phyllaries (straw-colored or light green) ovate to elliptic (margins hyaline, shiny-resinous), sparsely hairy or glabrous. Florets 2–6; corollas 2–3 mm, glabrous (style branches scarcely exsert). Cypselae (ribbed) 0.8–1.5 mm, glabrous or resinous. 2n = 18, 36.
Dry plains and hills. Shallow soils, desert valleys, exposed mountain slopes; at elevations from 1,500-2,300 metres.
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