Large tufted herb with lf-sheaths densely imbricate around stem, stock stout. Lamina ± 20-30-(50) × 4-8 cm., coriac., oblong to spathulate-oblong to broad-lanceolate; upper surface dark green, glab. to thinly floccose; lower surface densely clad in closely appressed ± lustrous soft white to pale buff tomentum, midrib prominent, main veins us. evident; apex acute; margins entire or obscurely toothed, clad in woolly hairs, narrowed to short petiole or directly into coriac. floccose sheath up to 7 × 1 cm. Scape stout, ± 30 cm. long, clad in appressed to spreading silky hairs. Bracts ∞, linear to narrowly spathulate, lower up to ± 12 × 1 cm., including petiole and sheath. Capitula ± 6-10.cm. diam.; phyll. linear-subulate, softly white-woolly without, glab. or nearly so within, up to 2 cm. × 2 mm. Ray-florets ± 25 mm. long; limb narrow, minutely 3-toothed. Disk-florets tubular, somewhat thickened below, up to 8 mm. long. Achenes glab. or very nearly so, narrow-cylindric, ± compressed, grooved, c. 2.5-3 mm. long. Pappus-hairs slender, barbellate, up to c. 8 mm. long.

n = 54

Woody-based herb with short branchlets arising from a sparsely multicipital stock, usually just below the soil surface; living leaves in rosettes at the tips of branchlets; the whole plant forming a mat of rosettes. Leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted into a pseudostem. Leaf lamina (12)-18-30- (40) × (4)-4.5-7-(9) cm., coriaceous, at first erect, tending to become decumbent with age, oblanceolate to elliptic; upper surface obscurely sulcate, veins sometimes impressed, concolorous, yellow- to pale green, usually silky hairy when young but becoming glabrous except along margins; lower surface densely covered with a lustrous tomentum of pale buff or creamy hairs, veins obvious; tip acute; margins entire, not recurved, with a rim of whitish to buff hairs; base obliquely cuneate; petiole ¼-1/3-(½) length of lamina, pale or occasionally deep purple, usually with a thin covering of lustrous pale hairs which are floccose towards the base. Scape purplish, covered in pale tomentum, up to 50 cm long; bracts numerous, erect, linear and sometimes leaflike; monocephalous. Capitula up to 10 cm diam. Phyllaries in several series, linear-subulate, erect, densely brown tomentose. Ray florets up to 80, ligulate, the limb linear-lanceolate, white. Disc florets up to 250, funneliform, yellow; tube with eglandular biseriate hairs. Achene fusiform-cylindric, ribbed, c. 5 mm long, glabrous. Pappus unequal, c. 9 mm long, of 35-40 bristles, n = 54.