Stock simple or shortly branched, giving rise annually to 1 or 2 erect simple sulcate stems up to ± 6 dm. tall and c. 5 mm. diam. at rather woody base; branches 0 or few, near infl. Lower lvs rather crowded, spreading, submembr., c. 9-10 × 1 cm., linear to narrow-spathulate to lanceolate-oblong, glab. or nearly so when mature, obtuse, entire or distantly minutely denticulate. Petiole very short, or sts ± = lamina, semiamplexicaul, not or minutely auricled. Mid laminae suberect, ± 6 cm. × 3 mm., linear-lanceolate to linear, us. entire; upper laminae merging into bracts of infl. Infl. laxly subcorymbose, capitula c. 6 mm. long, 5 mm. diam., ∞ to few. Calyculus of few to several minute bracteoles. Phyll. c. 12, 4-5 mm. long, linear, margins hyaline. Florets with teeth thickened slightly at tips; ♀ 4-toothed, perfect 5-toothed. Achenes (1)-2-3 mm. long, subfusiform, finely grooved, hispidulous on ridges only. Pappus-hairs fine, white, 5-8 mm. long.

2n = 40

Erect, annual or short-lived perennial herb. Mid cauline lvs usually almost glabrous on both surfaces when mature, sometimes sparsely white-lanate on upper surface and moderately white-lanate on lower, apetiolate, narrow-elliptic or narrowly elliptic-obovate to linear, usually remotely denticulate, rarely entire, usually revolute, not amplexicaul and without lobes at base, 40-100 × 3-9 mm. Uppermost lvs smaller, usually linear and often lanate, especially on lower surface. Supplementary bracts 3-5-(6), 1-2 mm long. Involucral bracts 12-13, glabrous to sparsely lanate, 4.5-5.5 mm long. Ray florets 0. Disc greenish yellow, 2-3 mm diam. Achenes subcylindric, narrowed to and slightly constricted below apex, usually with 2-3 rows of hairs mostly on the ribs, sometimes almost evenly hairy, c. 2.5 mm long.