Perennial; stems decumbent or spreading, silky-villous, 10-20 cm long; basal leaves palmately 5-foliate, leaflets oblanceolate, 3-5 cm long, finely serrate, silky and green above, densely white tomentose beneath; upper leaves trifoliate or simple; stipules brown and decurrent, the free portion long, linear-lanceolate; hypanthium silky and white tomentose; bractlets narrowly lanceolate, nearly equaling the similar (lanceolate) sepals; petals yellow, obcordate, exceeding the sepals; stamens about 20; ovaries numerous; styles terminal. Flowers April to August (based on specimens at NMC tentatively identified by B. Ertter).