Branched, hairy annual; basal leaves occur at the first few nodes; stem leaves gradually reduce in size towards top plant; many flowers on seedhead.
Annual; erect to spreading; matted woolly hairs, greenish or reddish; base not woody; flowering stems erect; basal and stem leaves; basal blades lance-like to oval; stem blades smaller; flower white to yellow, pink to red; conspicuous rose-purple spot.
Habitat
Found on sandy or gravelly surfaces or on clay flats and slopes, in mixed grassland, salt bush, creosote bush, and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper and montane conifer woodlands.
Flower Characteristics
Flower stems have many clusters of flowers; flowers 1/8 inch long; white to yellow, or pink to red; glandular, minutely covered with short hairs, single large rose-purple spot or stripe on the outer lobes; outer lobes wider and shorter than inner lobes.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Stem leaves alternate or whorled, 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches long, 3/4 inch wide; woolly below, sparsely woolly to nearly hairless and grayish to greenish above; stem leaves gradually reduced towards top; margins entire; basal leaf stalks about 3/4 inch long.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
3 edges; 1/16 inch long with smooth surfaces.