Flowers showy, yellow, snapdragon-like . Stamens 4, in 2 pairs. Racemes elongate, dense or open, erect or drooping at the tips. Corolla bright yellow , sometimes whitish, 1.5-3.5 cm long including spur. Throat and lower lip orange-hairy.
Seed occasionally resembles that of yellow toadflax , possibly due to hybridization.
Capsules 9-12 mm long . Without cross-pollination, only a few seeds develop. Stiff stems with attached seed capsules containing seed can remain erect for an extended period during the winter. Both species tolerate a broad range of climatic conditions and soil types. Both species grow throughout California, except the Great Basin and desert regions.