Stems up to 12 mm. diam., branches clad in lf-remains; branchlets with rosulate tufts of lvs; plants forming often extensive patches. Lamina coriac., ± (3)-5-15 cm. × 10-15 mm.; narrow-oblong to elliptic to lanceolate; upper surface glab., us. plicate, at first covered by distinct pellicle; lower surface densely clad in very closely appressed white satiny tomentum, midrib distinct; apex subacute to acute, sts apiculate; margins us. somewhat recurved, entire or very obscurely toothed, cuneately narrowed to slender petiole up to ± 15 mm. long. Sheath c. 3-6 cm. long; tomentum of mingled loose and appressed hairs, at length deciduous. Scape slender, ± 10-25 cm. long, white with floccose tomentum; bracts linear to linear-spathulate, lower up to c. 3 cm. long. Capitula ± 2-3 cm. diam.; outermost phyll. floccose without, ± glab. within, c. 7 mm. long; inner phyll. glab., up to 10 mm. long; all linear-subulate, acute. Ray-florets many, c. 12 mm. long, limb linear-oblong to narrow-obovate; disk-florets 6-7 mm. long, narrow-funnelform, teeth minute. Achenes c. 3 mm. long, compressed-cylindric; ribs fine, with very few hairs to glab. Pappus-hairs slender, up to ± 6 mm. long, barbellate.

n = 54, 54 + 2f

Woody-based herb with branchlets arising from a simple or multicipital stock, usually hidden below ground; living leaves in rosettes at the tips of branchlets, the whole plant forming an irregular patch of one to several rosettes; leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted, forming a pseudo-stem. Leaf lamina (2.3)-8-(15) × (0.7)-1.6-(3) cm, subcoriaceous, erect when young but becoming patent (especially in small plants from exposed sites); upper surface usually sulcate, concolorous, sometimes slightly bronzed, covered by a thick lead-coloured dull pellicle; lower surface densely covered in glistening appressed tomentum, midrib prominent, often purple; tip acute; margins entire or with fine distinct teeth, often recurved; base narrowed to a distinct petiole up to 3 cm long. Sheath up to 6 × 1.5 cm, purple, glabrate. Scape purple, sparsely clad in floccose white hairs, often slender, up to 25 cm long; bracts several, erect, up to 4 cm long, margins revolute; monocephalous. Ray florets 20-60, ligulate, the limb narrow-linear, white. Disc florets 20-80, c. 6 mm long, funneliform, yellow, long eglandular biseriate hairs along most of tube.