Plants densely tufted to cushion-forming. Caudex branches usually stout, columnar, sheathed with marcescent whole leaves. Stems erect, (0.2–)0.3–0.8(–1) dm, lengths 2–4(–5) times basal leaves. Basal leaves 1–3 cm; petiole 0.5–2 cm, long hairs common to abundant, ascending to spreading, 0.5–1.5(–2) mm, soft to weak, smooth, short hairs absent, crisped/short-cottony hairs sparse to abundant, glands sparse to common; leaflets separate to slightly overlapping, central obovate, 0.8–1.2(–1.5) × 0.5–1(–1.5) cm, sessile or subsessile, base cuneate, margins revolute, distal ± 1/2 incised (1/3–)1/2–3/4 to midvein, teeth 2–3 per side, ± approximate to distant, surfaces ± dissimilar, abaxial yellowish white or grayish, long hairs 1–2 mm, cottony-crisped hairs ± dense, adaxial green to yellowish gray, long(/short) hairs common to abundant, crisped hairs absent or sparse. Cauline leaves 0–1(–2). Inflorescences 1–2(–3)-flowered. Pedicels 0.5–1.5 cm in flower, to 3.5 cm in fruit. Flowers: epicalyx bractlets broadly ovate, 2.5–4(–5) × 1.5–3 mm, ± as wide as sepals, margins flat or revolute, red glands absent; hypanthium 2–4 mm diam.; sepals 2.5–5(–6) mm, apex subacute to acute; petals 8–10 × 7–12 mm, significantly longer than sepals; filaments 1–1.2 mm, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm; carpels 30–40, apical hairs absent, styles narrowly columnar, distinctly papillate-swollen at very base, 1–1.1 mm. Achenes 1.1–1.5 mm. 2n = 42, 49, 56.