Herb forming large tufts, lf-sheaths densely imbricate around stem. Lamina acute to acuminate, rigid, coriac., ± (15)-20-35-(40) × 1-2 cm., narrow linear-lanceolate to subensiform; upper surface longitudinally ribbed, yellow-green, with a broad yellow band lateral to midrib, clad in delicate greyish pellicle; lower surface densely clad in appressed satiny tomentum, midrib stiff, broad, prominent; margins entire, recurved, gradually narrowed to broad sheath 7-10 cm. long, with ∞ nerves, glab. within, clad on back with white floccose deciduous tomentum. Scape stout to rather slender, c. 25 cm. long, clad in white floccose tomentum; bracts ∞, linear, ascending, acute to acuminate, lower up to c. 5 cm. long. Capitula (3)-4-(5) cm. diam.; phyll. up to 17 mm. long, pale brown, glab., ± scarious. Ray-florets ∞, c. 16 mm. long; tube filiform, limb narrow-obovate; disk-florets glab., ∞, narrow-funnelform, 7-8 mm. long, teeth narrow-triangular, c. 5 mm. long. Achenes compressed-cylindric, 5-6 mm. long, ribbed, calloused at base, with very fine white ascending hairs on ribs. Pappus-hairs very slender, up to 7 mm. long, white, hardly barbellate.

n = 54

Moderately stout woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a multicipital stock, usually hidden; living leaves in rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole forming irregular carpets, or less often clusters of 1—3—(8) rosettes; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (12)-24-(40) × (l)-1.5-(2.0) cm, coriaceous, erect when young but soon becoming patent, linear oblong; upper surface sulcate, bronzegreen with a conspicuous orange-brown strip along the midrib, somewhat paler immediately outside this, pellicle bronze-yellow, obvious; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, midrib prominent; tip acute; margins entire, conspicuously recurved; base cuneate, petiole short. Sheath up to 8 × 2.5 cm, yellowish, clad in floccose white hairs. Scape densely clad in floccose white hairs, not as stout as in preceding species, up to 35 cm long; bracts several in upper half, erect, up to 6 cm long; monocephalous. Ray florets 100-120, ligulate, the limb narrow linear, white. Disc florets c. 130, 7-8 mm long, funneliform, yellow, the tube sparsely eglandular biseriate hairy. Achenes fusiform to cylindric, grooved, 4-5 mm long, moderately to densely hairy; hairs short, appressed, bifid. Pappus unequal, up to 8 mm long, of c. 40 barbellate bristles.