A short plant, usually less than 8″ (20 cm) tall, the brilliant scarlet color of the bracts of C. rupicola ignites the barren alpine, the only one of the five species of paintbush in the Park found here. Like the others the color portion are its bracts with reproductive flowers parts protruding as green ‘snouts’. The leaves are about an inch long and have a delicate lacy appearance. Usually found on cliffs and rocky slopes above 5,500′ elevation.