Erect annual, 10-75 cm tall. Stems glabrous to moderately hairy, usually becoming almost glabrous below, much-branched. Lvs glabrous or sparsely hairy especially on margins and veins of undersurface, petiolate, usually ovate, sometimes elliptic, acute to acuminate, obtuse to truncate at base, serrate, 1-9 cm long; upper cauline lvs usually smaller, narrower, and apetiolate. Capitula 3-7 mm diam., in loose clusters; peduncles 3-20-(35) mm long, sparsely to densely hairy and usually with stalked glandular hairs. Involucral bracts foliaceous, mostly persistent, with narrow to broad membranous laciniate margins. Outer and inner receptacular scales 3-fid, innermost persistent. Ray florets usually 5; ligules white, entire or shallowly (2)-3-fid, 1-1.8 × 1-1.8 mm. Disc florets many, golden yellow. Achenes of ray florets strongly flattened, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs, 1.8-2.5 mm long; pappus 0, or reduced to short, entire or laciniate scales < 0.7 mm long. Achenes of disc florets flattened or square in section, usually hairy especially on angles, 1.5-2 mm long; pappus scales 15-22, 1-1.5 mm long, subulate, laciniate and usually obtuse at apex, sometimes acute to acuminate on innermost achenes.