Erect annual to biennial herb, up to c. 1 m tall. Stems ridged, sparsely to moderately hispid, becoming less hairy below. Cauline lvs oblanceolate, flat, apetiolate and cuneate, acute, mostly remotely serrate, rarely entire, sparsely to moderately hispid on both surfaces, usually prominently and densely ciliate, 30-70 × 3-8 mm; uppermost lvs smaller, often linear. Infl. a leafy panicle with dominant main axis. Capitula 1-3 mm diam.; receptacle usually smooth, rarely with short flanges between pits. Inner involucral bracts linear, green, glabrous or with 1-2 hairs on midrib, 2.5-4 mm long; outer bracts glabrous, or with a few hairs on midrib. Outer florets with evident ligules 0.5-1 mm long, white. Achenes obovoid-cylindric, sparsely hairy, 1-1.3 mm long; pappus hairs cream to fawn.