Herbs , perennial, evergreen, cespitose, scapose or very short-caulescent and subscapose, from taproots. Stems (caudices) when present leafy, erect, branching, covered with marcescent leaf bases. Leaves all or mostly basal and rosulate, petiolate; blade cuneate to fan-shaped, 1×-lobed distally, glaucous, long-pilose, hairs flexuous, barbed; margins entire; lobes acute, long-bristled. Inflorescences terminal, cymiform, simple or branching; bracts present; buds nodding. Flowers: sepals 2 or 3, distinct; petals persistent, 4 or 6; stamens many; pistil 3-6-carpellate; ovary 1-locular; style 1 and short, or absent; stigmas 1 per carpel, connate, capitate, cordately 2-lobed. Capsules erect, 3-6-valved, dehiscing from apex leaving persistent placental ribs unseparated at apex, valve tips recurving. Seeds several to many, dark brown, shining, ovoid, 1.5-3 mm, aril present. x = 12.

PLANTS: Perennial herbs with a caudex and long taproot. LEAVES: cauline and basal, long-hirsute, usually cuneate, mostly toothed or lobed apically, the teeth spinulose-tipped. FLOWERS: white or yellow, 1.5-4 cm across, solitary, or borne in leafy-bracteate cymes, nodding in bud; sepals 2 or 3; petals 4 or 6; stamens many; styles lacking or less than 1.5 mm long; stigmas connate, 3-6. CAPSULES: ovoid, 3-6-valved. SEEDS: several, strophiolate. NOTES: 3 spp.; narrowly endemic genus restricted to 7 counties in 4 states: Mohave Co., AZ; Inyo and San Bernadino cos., se CA; Clark, Lincoln, Nye cos., s NV; Washington Co., sw UT. (Greek arktos = of bear + mekon = a poppy).