Annual or biennial, 8-50 cm tall, branched only at base; stems 1-several, usually erect, sometimes ascending. Basal lvs dead but persisting at flowering or sometimes 0. Lower cauline lvs apetiolate but lowermost often long-cuneate, densely tomentose on lower surface, sparsely to moderately tomentose on upper, somewhat discolorous, plane, oblanceolate to spathulate or narrow-obovate, obtuse to acute, mucronate, undulate or flat, 20-60 × 3-10-(14) mm; uppermost lvs smaller, broader based, plane or folded and sometimes falcate, often ± narrow-oblong. Capitula in dense terminal and axillary clusters; clusters forming terminal spikes and sometimes scattered below. Involucral bracts elliptic-oblong, acute or apiculate, 4-4.5 mm long; stereome green; lamina pale brown, often darker at base, sometimes flushed reddish purple; gap and margins clear or marked reddish purple; outer bract usually hairy at base. Achenes minutely papillate, 0.6-0.8 mm long.

Stems moderately to densely tomentose. Basal lvs acute or subacute. Cauline lvs undulate; uppermost lvs often folded. Inner involucral bracts acute at apex, usually flushed bright reddish purple in bud, sometimes not coloured.

Stems usually clothed in dense white or pinkish tomentum. Basal lvs usually obtuse. Cauline lvs usually flat, sometimes undulate; uppermost lvs usually plane, sometimes folded. Inner involucral bracts apiculate at apex, usually not coloured in bud.