Perennials, 15-65 cm (taproots relatively long, caudices swollen). Stems 1-3, erect or ascending, scapiform, branched near middles, glabrous or hispid, sometimes stipitate-glandular distally. Leaves mostly basal (rosettes); petiolate; blades elliptic, lanceolate, linear, oblanceolate, obovate, or spatulate, 3-30 × 0.5-8 cm (bases attenuate) margins usually entire or weakly dentate, sometimes serrate, dentate, or pinnately lobed, apices rounded, faces glabrous or hispid to hispidulous (sometimes glaucous). Heads (1-)3-15(-30), borne singly or in ± corymbiform arrays. Calyculi of 5-12, narrowly triangular, glabrous or tomentulose bractlets 1-3 mm. Involucres turbinate-campanulate, 7-21 × 8-12 mm. Phyllaries 10-16, lanceolate or oblong, 8-10 mm, (bases keeled and thickened, margins scarious) apices usually acute, sometimes attenuate or obtuse (often ciliate-tufted), abaxial faces glabrous or tomentulose, sometimes stipitate-glandular, adaxial glabrous. Florets 20-50; corollas golden yellow, 9-18 mm. Cypselae dark to golden reddish or yellowish brown, fusiform, 3.5-8 mm, tapered distally or beaked, ribs 10-13 (strong); pappi white, 4-9 mm. Crepis runcinata is recognized by its basal rosettes of weakly dentate or almost entire leaves, scapiform stems, branching near middles, and reduced cauline leaves. The stems and leaves are usually glabrous. Multiple subspecies were described by E. B. Babcock (1947); the variation is continuous. Babcock suggested that this is the only American species that shows a relationship to Asian species.

Plant: Perennial from taproot; sap milky; stems 2.5-8 dm, ± leafless, glabrous; branches 0 Leaves: basal 7-27 cm, oblanceolate or elliptic, pinnately lobed, minutely dentate, or entire, glabrous; cauline 0-few, much reduced INFLORESCENCE: primary inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower; heads ligulate, clustered in cymes; involucre 8-21 mm; outer phyllaries linear to lanceolate; inner phyllaries 10-16, narrowly to widely lanceolate, glandular-hairy; receptacle naked Flowers: 20-50; ligules yellow, readily withering Fruit: 3.5-7.5 mm, 10-13-ribbed, light to dark-brown; tip acuminate or beak short; pappus white, of many soft, hair-like bristles Misc: Moist depressions, streambanks; 1250-1500 m.