Perennial herb, 20-80 cm tall. Stems moderately to densely hairy, usually much-branched from base, often tinged reddish purple. Lvs very variable, all glandular and moderately to densely clothed on both surfaces with short and long jointed hairs; basal lvs petiolate, elliptic, acute, cuneate, entire, finely serrate or rarely pinnatifid, 4-15 cm long; lower and mid cauline lvs petiolate or cuneately narrowed to stem, usually 1-pinnatifid or coarsely toothed, sometimes serrate or entire; uppermost lvs apetiolate, oblong to lanceolate, often amplexicaul, usually entire, sometimes serrate, 3-10 cm long. Capitula 4-8 cm diam., long-pedunculate. Involucral bracts in 3 rows, densely hairy, glandular and ciliate, ovate-triangular to lanceolate, acute or acuminate, 8-25 mm long, reflexed at fruiting. Ray florets 8-18; ligules yellow to yellow-orange, darker orange or red to purple near base, or yellow only at tips; disc florets numerous, tinged purple or crimson. Setae filiform, glabrous, = or > achenes. Achenes 3.5-5 mm long, obscured by long antrorse hairs; pappus scales 6-8, ovate-lanceolate, aristate, 5-10 mm long, with the awn 1-2× length of body.