Small tufted annual herb, 1.5-2 cm tall. Leaves all rosulate, broadly spathulate in outline; lamina transversely ovate, trilobed, each lobe again divided into two or three oblong segments, finely woollyhairy, 4-8 × 3-10 mm; petiole flattened, (5-)8-10(- 15) mm long, expanded below halfway into a membranous sheathing base. Flowers solitary, sessile or on short erect woolly-hairy peduncles 2-5 mm long. Sepals linear-oblanceolate, woolly beneath, 4- 5 mm. Petals yellow, about as long as sepals, limb linear-oblanceolate, narrowed to short claw; nectary a shallow pocket at base of limb. Receptacle glabrous, elongating only slightly in fruit. Achenes 20-30, woolly-hairy, 3-4 × 1.5 mm; keel flattened, triangular; empty cells swollen, nearly touching at upper margin; beak erect or erectopatent, straight, slender, not flattened, spinous, 1-1.5 mm long.

Species C. falcato et C. testiculato affinis, differt autem floribus et capitulis subsessilibus; receptaculo fructificanti vix elongato; achenio 2.5-4 × 1.5 mm, carina complanata, angulata, rostro erecto yel erectopatenti, stricto, gracili, haud complanato, spiniformi, 1-1.5 mm longo.