Caudices mostly simple or sometimes branched apically and cespitose, 0.1–5 × (0.2–)1–3.5 cm, axillary branches absent. Leaves persistent (withering in early summer in subsp. marcescens); rosettes 1–3, in clumps or not, 5–25-leaved, (3–)6–15(–35) cm diam.; blade green or gray-blue, usually oblanceolate or oblong-oblanceolate, rhombic-oblanceolate, oblong, elliptic, or ovate, to spatulate, sometimes oblong-triangular, 1.5–12(–17) × 0.5–4(–6) cm, 1–5 mm thick, base 0.5–3 cm wide, apex acute to acuminate or cuspidate or subobtuse, surfaces sometimes farinose, mostly glaucous. Inflorescences: cyme 2–4-branched, mostly obpyramidal; branches not twisted (flowers on topside), simple or 1–3 times bifurcate, less often also with lateral branches; cincinni 1–2(–3+), 1–6(–20)-flowered, circinate, 1–5(–17) cm; floral shoots 4–30(–50) × 0.1–0.8 cm; leaves 5–25(–50), spreading to ascending, blade cordate-ovate to triangular-lanceolate, 4–20(–50) × 4–10(–15) mm, apex acute to acuminate. Pedicels erect, not bent in fruit, usually 5–15 mm. Flowers: calyx 3–6 × 3–6 mm; petals connate 1–2.5 mm, pale or bright yellow, mustard yellow, or red, 7–14 × 1.5–4.5 mm, apex mostly narrowly acute, tips often outcurved; pistils connivent, erect. Unripe follicles erect. 2n = 34.
