Perennial with stout rootstock. Stems erect, branching, 20-75 cm tall, glabrous or with sparse simple hairs. Lvs all basal, linear to ovate, pinnatifid with narrow-triangular or linear, patent or recurved lobes, rarely simple, toothed, (3)-5-15-(40) × (0.3)-1.5-5-(8) cm; hairs simple, sparse or 0. Stem bracts numerous, especially above, narrow-triangular to linear. Capitula turbinate, erect in bud. Involucral bracts linear-lanceolate, acute, with fine pale hairs and usually longer dark hairs also; outer bracts c. 1/2length of inner bracts; inner bracts 8-12 mm long. Florets yellow, 11/2-2× length of involucre. Stigmas greyish green. Achenes reddish brown, all similar, wrinkled, not beaked, fusiform to cylindric, 4-5 mm long. Pappus in 1 row; hairs plumose, widened at base.