2n = 108

Woody-based perennial herb arising fom multicipital stock and forming somewhat flattened hemispherical cushions up to 80 cm diameter. Leaf lamina linear, rigid, straight; current season's leaves erect, those of previous season becoming reflexed; 5-10 cm × (1.0—)1.3—2.5 mm; upper surface with a median groove, yellowish green, clad in a persistent pellicle which becomes grey-green on older leaves; lower surface clad in white appressed tomentum; margins entire, strongly recurved to midrib; tip acute but not markedly acicular. Leaf sheath up to 5 cm long, membranous, purplish, covered with a thin pellicle. Scape 8-15 cm × 2- 3mm; bracts few, up to 2.5 cm long, glabrate, yellowish- green. Involucral bracts erect, linear-subulate, acute, up to 15 mm long, glabrate, tawny brown, venation simple. Receptacle obconic, surface alveolate. Ray florets up to 1.5 cm long, limb narrow, linear-lanceolate and glabrous, tube narrow and glabrous. In disc florets, corolla tube gradually narrowed from apex to base, glabrous; stamen tip acute, anther tails short; style bifid, arms differentiated into a lower parallel-sided papillose portion shorter than the triangular appendage which bears short collecting hairs. Pappus bristles unequal, c. 25 in number, 3.5-5 mm long with closely spaced, short teeth. Achenes 3-3.5 mm long, fusiform, ribbed and clad in short bifid hairs.

Herba perennis basi lignoso ex caudice multicipiti orta pulvinos leyiter complanatos hemisphaericos formans. Lamina folii linearis, rigida, recta, mox reflexa; pagina superior sulco medio, flavo-virens, pagina inferior tomento albo appresso vestita; marginibus valde involutis, apice acuta haud aciculari. Vagina folii purpurascens. Bracteae scapi paucae, glabratae, flavo-virentes. Bracteae inyolucrales erectae, glabratae, fulvo-brunneae. Flores radii discique glabri, tubo ab apice usque ad imum sensim attenuato. Stylus bifidus, parte inferiore papillosa quam appendice triangulari breyiore. Pappus inaequalis, setis circa 25, 3.5—5 mm longis. Achaenia 3-3.5 mm longa, fusiformia, pilis brevibus vestita.