Erect annual or biennial herb, up to 2-(2.5) m tall. Stems ridged, moderately to densely softly hairy, often becoming sparsely hairy below. Cauline lvs usually obovate to narrow-oblanceolate, rarely linear, ± flat, apetiolate and cuneate, acute, often shallowly 1-pinnatifid or remotely serrate, sometimes entire especially above, sparsely to densely scaberulous, ciliate, (20)-35-120-(250) × 4-20-(45) mm; uppermost lvs smaller, usually narrow-oblanceolate or narrow-elliptic. Infl. a leafy pyramidal panicle with dominant main axis. Capitula 1.5-2 mm diam.; receptacle usually with distinct flanges between pits, sometimes with short flanges or ± smooth. Inner involucral bracts lanceolate, green, usually hairy at least toward apex, 4-5.5-(6) mm long; outer bracts moderately to densely hairy. Outer florets filiform, cream, usually becoming reddish. Achenes obovoid, sparsely hairy, 1-1.2-(1.4) mm long; pappus hairs fawn or dirty white.