Tufted herb with pseudo-stem ± 6 cm. long. Lvs rather rigid, thick, coriac.; lamina linear to linear-oblong, tapering regularly from base to acute or subacute stiff apex, ± 10-15-(30) cm. × (3)-4-5-(8) mm.; upper surface showing dark green when fresh, white-silvery when dry, owing to conspicuous transversely wrinkled ± sulcate pellicle; lower clad in dense white appressed satiny tomentum, midrib prominent, rounded or keeled, veins manifest; margins entire, not or slightly recurved, or rarely much-recurved; base widened to thinly coriac., ± floccose, strongly nerved sheath ± 6 cm. × 5 mm., nerves ∞. Scape flattened, at least in lower half, ± 15-30 cm. long, rather stout, clad in subappressed to floccose white hairs. Bracts ∞, lower laminae up to ± 4 cm. long, linear-subulate, tomentum white, appressed. Capitula ± 4 cm. diam. Phyll. ∞, midrib evident; outer ovate, acuminate, up to 15 × 3 mm.; inner scarious towards apex, floccose on margins and base. Ray-florets ∞, ± 16 mm. long, tube slender, limb ± oblanceolate, teeth 2-4, conspicuous. Disk-florets c. 7 mm. long, narrow-funnelform, teeth oblong-triangular. Achenes ± 3 mm. long, compressed-cylindric, ribbed, densely clad in short ascending silky hairs. Pappus-hairs white to sordid-white, very slender, up to c. 6 mm. long, hardly barbellate.

n = 54

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.