E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

General:
Perennial herb from a stout taproot and branching, woody stem-base or deep-seated, stout, creeping roots; stems much branched throughout, glabrous, exuding milky juice when broken, 10-70 cm tall.

Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves alternate, linear to threadlike, entire or sparsely toothed, 1.5-8 cm long, 2-3 mm wide, uppermost reduced and scalelike.

Flowers:
Heads with strap-shaped flowers, numerous, terminating the open branches; involucres 7-11 mm tall; involucral bracts lanceolate with mostly 5 glabrous, principal bracts and several much-reduced outer ones; ray flowers pink or occasionally white, mostly 5.

Fruits:
Achenes, 4-6 mm long, longitudinally ribbed and grooved; pappus of white feathery bristles.