Moderately stout woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a multicipital stock, usually hidden; living leaves in rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole forming irregular carpets, or less often clusters of 1—3—(8) rosettes; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (12)-24-(40) × (l)-1.5-(2.0) cm, coriaceous, erect when young but soon becoming patent, linear oblong; upper surface sulcate, bronzegreen with a conspicuous orange-brown strip along the midrib, somewhat paler immediately outside this, pellicle bronze-yellow, obvious; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, midrib prominent; tip acute; margins entire, conspicuously recurved; base cuneate, petiole short. Sheath up to 8 × 2.5 cm, yellowish, clad in floccose white hairs. Scape densely clad in floccose white hairs, not as stout as in preceding species, up to 35 cm long; bracts several in upper half, erect, up to 6 cm long; monocephalous. Ray florets 100-120, ligulate, the limb narrow linear, white. Disc florets c. 130, 7-8 mm long, funneliform, yellow, the tube sparsely eglandular biseriate hairy. Achenes fusiform to cylindric, grooved, 4-5 mm long, moderately to densely hairy; hairs short, appressed, bifid. Pappus unequal, up to 8 mm long, of c. 40 barbellate bristles.

Stout woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a multicipital stock, usually hidden; living leaves in large rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole plant forming an irregular sward-like patch; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (16)-28-(40) × (2.5)-3.5-(5.5) cm, coriaceous, older leaves somewhat patent, lanceolate or occasionally oblong; upper surface sulcate, somewhat rugose in some plants, bronze-green with a conspicuous orange stripe along the midrib, pellicle bronze, obvious, and deciduous in old leaves; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, midrib prominent; tip acute; margins entire, often slightly revolute; base more or less cuneate, occasionally abruptly narrowed to the petiole. Petiole short. Sheath up to 13 × 4 cm, yellowish, clad in floccose white hairs. Scape densely clad in floccose white hairs, stout, up to 45 cm long; bracts several in upper half, erect, up to 8 cm long, strongly revolute; monocephalous. Ray florets 160-200, ligulate, the limb narrow-linear, white. Disc florets 200-250, 7-8 mm long, funneliform, yellow, tube with long eglandular biseriate hairs in lower half. Achene fusiform to obovoid, strongly grooved, 4.5-5 mm long, moderately to densely hairy; hairs short, appressed, bifid. Pappus unequal, up to 6 mm long, of c. 30 barbellate bristles.

Woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a simple or multicipital stock, usually hidden below ground; living leaves in rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole plant forming an irregular patch of one to several rosettes; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (2.3)-8-(15) × (0.7)-1.6-(3) cm, subcoriaceous, erect when young but becoming patent (especially in small plants from exposed sites); upper surface usually sulcate, concolorous, sometimes slightly bronzed, covered by a thick lead-coloured dull pellicle; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, midrib prominent, often purple; tip acute; margins entire or with fine distinct teeth, often recurved; base narrowed to a distinct petiole up to 3 cm long. Sheath up to 6 × 1.5 cm, purple, glabrate. Scape purple, sparsely clad in floccose white hairs, often slender, up to 25 cm long; bracts several, erect, up to 4 cm long, margins revolute; monocephalous. Ray florets 20-60, ligulate, the limb narrow-linear, white. Disc florets 20-80, c. 6 mm long, funneliform, yellow, long eglandular biseriate hairs along most of tube.

Woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a multicipital stock at ground level; living leaves in rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole plant forming small patches of several rosettes; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (12)-19-(27) × (0.5)-0.6- 0.7) cm, coriaceous, erect or slightly curved, linear; upper surface with a prominent medial groove, somewhat sulcate in some plants, concolorous, dull green with an conspicuous silver-leaden pellicle; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, midrib prominent; tip acute; margins entire, revolute. Petiole short. Sheath up to 8 × 1.5 cm, greenish or slightly yellowish, clad in floccose white hairs. Scape clad in appressed white hairs, stout, up to 30 cm long; bracts numerous, erect, up to 4 cm long, margins revolute; monocephalous. Ray florets c. 70, ligulate, the limb linearspathulate, white. Disc florets 100-150, 7-8 mm long, funneliform, yellow, tube with long eglandular hairs. Achene more or less fusiform, grooved, 5-9 mm long, glabrous or rarely with a few short appressed bifid hairs. Pappus unequal, 6-9 mm long, of 30-40 barbellate bristles.

Stout woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a multicipital stock, usually hidden; living leaves in large rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole plant forming patches of few to many rosettes; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (12)—22—(55) × (1.0)—2.5—(3.2) cm, coriaceous, stiff and erect, lanceolate to oblong; upper surface sulcate, concolorous, somewhat rugose in some plants, dark green but generally masked by a thick lead-coloured, dull pellicle which is sometimes partly deciduous on older leaves; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, midrib moderately prominent; tip acute; margins entire, usually slightly recurved; base gradually narrowed to the petiole. Petiole up to 3 cm long. Sheath up to 8-(20) × 2 cm, greenish or rarely pale purple, clad in floccose white hairs. Scape densely clad in floccose white hairs, stout, up to 35 cm long; bracts very numerous, erect, usually up to 6 cm long and revolute, sometimes lowest bracts much larger and foliaceous; monocephalous. Ray florets 80-100, ligulate, the limb narrow-linear, white. Disc florets c. 250, 8-10 mm long, funneliform, yellow, tube with sparse long, eglandular biseriate hairs at base. Achene fusiformcylindric, strongly grooved, 3-8 mm long, usually slightly hairy; hairs short, appressed, bifid. Pappus unequal, 6-10 mm long, of c. 50 barbellate bristles.

Woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a multicipital stock, usually close to soil surface; living leaves in large rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole plant forming irregular patches of numerous rosettes; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (15)- 25-35 × 1.8-3 cm, subcoriaceous or flaccid, older leaves weakly patent, lanceolate to oblong; upper surface finely sulcate, concolorous, dark green, glabrate or with a thin, scurfy greenish pellicle; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, midrib prominent and sometimes purple; tip acute; margins entire, slightly revolute; base more or less gradually narrowed to a purple, ribbed petiole up to 8 cm long. Sheath up to 6 × 2.5 cm, purple (rarely greenish), clad in floccose, white hairs or glabrate. Scape purple, thinly clad in floccose, white hairs, slender, up to 30 cm long; bracts several in upper half, erect, linear; monocephalous. Ray florets c. 40, ligulate, the limb narrow-linear, white. Disc florets c. 50, 6 mm long, funneliform, yellow, tube with long eglandular biseriate hairs. Achene fusiform, grooved, 3-4.5 mm long, glabrous or slightly hairy; hairs short, appressed, bifid. Pappus unequal, c. 6 mm long, of c. 30 barbellate bristles.

Woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a sparsely multicipital stock, usually close to the soil surface; living leaves in rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole plant forming a clump of 1-3- 8) rosettes; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (5)-8- 12—(13) × 1.5-3.5 cm, coriaceous and rigid, all but the oldest leaves erect, lanceolate-ovate; upper surface sulcate, finely wrinkled when dry, concolorous, yellowish green, usually glabrous; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, usually silvery when fresh but buff in dried specimens, midrib prominent and purple; tip acute; margins entire, recurved; base usually cordate; petiole up to 6 cm long, purple. S heath up to 7 × 2.5 cm, purple, clad in floccose, white hairs. Scape purple, clad in floccose, white hairs, up to 25 cm long; bracts several in upper part, erect, linear; monocephalous. Ray florets c. 40, ligulate, the limb linear, white. Disc florets c. 60, 5 mm long, funneliform, yellow, tube with eglandular biseriate hairs. Achene fusiform-cylindric, obscurely grooved, 3-5 mm long, hairs scattered to dense in upper half; hairs short, appressed, bifid. Pappus unequal, 5-6 mm long, of 25-30 barbellate bristles.

Stout woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a multicipital stock, usually hidden; living leaves in large rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole plant forming an irregular sward-like patch; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (11)—25—(42) × (2.0)-4.2-(7) cm, more or less coriaceous, at first erect but soon becoming patent, lanceolate to oblong-ovate; upper surface regularly sulcate, more or less concolorous, masked by an obvious silver greenish (occasionally bronze) pellicle; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, midrib prominent; tip acute; margins entire, flat or moderately recurved; base more or less cuneate, occasionally abruptly narrowed" to the petiole. Petiole short. Sheath up to 12 × 4 cm, greenish or slightly purplish, clad in floccose white hairs. Scape densely clad in floccose white hairs, stout, up to 45 cm long; bracts several in upper half, erect, up to 15 cm long, margins revolute; usually monocephalous but occasionally with several capitula especially in cultivated specimens. Ray florets 200-250, ligulate, the limb narrow-linear, white. Disc florets 400-450, 8-9 mm long, funneliform, yellow, tube with long eglandular biseriate hairs in lower half. Achene fusiform, strongly grooved, 3.5-8 mm long, glabrous or slightly hairy; hairs short, appressed, bifid. Pappus unequal, 5.5-8.5 mm long, of c. 40 barbellate bristles.

Leaf lamina (11)-25-(42) × (2.2)-4-2-(7) cm, lanceolate to obovate, margin flat or slightly recurved, upper surface with a silver, slightly bronzed, or greenish pellicle, achenes 3.5-8 mm long, glabrous or slightly hairy, pappus 5.5-8 mm long, scapes with bracts generally <10 cm long.

Similar to the type subspecies but differing in leaf lamina margin being more recurved, upper surface with a golden pellicle sometimes becoming leadcoloured when old, achenes 6-7 mm long and glabrous, pappus bristles 8 mm long, scapes with prominent almost foliaceous bracts up to 15 cm long.

Subspecies Celmisiae semicordatae ssp. semicordatae similis, differens autem margine folii laminae magis recurvato, pagina laminae superiore pellicula aurea obtecta interdum aetate provecta plumbea, acheniis 6-7 mm longis glabris, pappi setis 8 mm longis, scapisque bracteis subfoliaceis prominentibus ad 15 cm longis praeditis.

Similar to the type subspecies but differing in being much more branched and forming large carpets, the leaf lamina being narrower and more rigid with a gradual taper to the petiole, (11)—23—(32) × (2)-2.5- (4) cm, margin more strongly recurved, upper surface with an extremely silvery pellicle sometimes becoming lead-coloured when old; achenes slightly hairy; pappus bristles 7-8 mm long; scapes very stout with numerous silvery bracts in upper third.