Oreocarya humilis

Cryptantha is an herbaceous perennial which forms clumps of 5-30 cm high stems that arise from a branched rootcrown. The clustered basal leaves are narrowly spoon-shaped, 1-6 cm long, and covered with straight hairs that arise from swellings on the surface. Stem leaves are narrower and somewhat shorter. Flowers are borne on coiled stalks in the axils of the uppermost leaves, or bracts. These stalks expand, become slender, and spread outward as the fruits mature. The white flowers have a short, tubular corolla, which is 2-4 mm long and has 5 spreading lobes. The small crests, or fornices, at the base of the petal lobes are yellow. The 5-lobed calyx is hairy and becomes 6-13 mm long in fruit. The 4 lance-shaped nutlets are 3-5 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, and are bumpy or wrinkled, more so on the outside face. The style is less than 1.5 mm longer than the mature nutlets.

Perennial species of CRYPTANTHA are very difficult to distinguish; a hand lens or microscope is essential. C. CELOSIOIDES has basal leaves that are more broadly spoon-shaped, C. SPICULIFERA's style is 1.5-6 mm higher than the mature nutlets, and C. SOBOLIFERA has nutlets that are smooth on the back faces.