Annual or biennial, 8-50 cm tall, branched only at base; stems 1-several, usually erect, sometimes ascending. Basal lvs dead but persisting at flowering or sometimes 0. Lower cauline lvs apetiolate but lowermost often long-cuneate, densely tomentose on lower surface, sparsely to moderately tomentose on upper, somewhat discolorous, plane, oblanceolate to spathulate or narrow-obovate, obtuse to acute, mucronate, undulate or flat, 20-60 × 3-10-(14) mm; uppermost lvs smaller, broader based, plane or folded and sometimes falcate, often ± narrow-oblong. Capitula in dense terminal and axillary clusters; clusters forming terminal spikes and sometimes scattered below. Involucral bracts elliptic-oblong, acute or apiculate, 4-4.5 mm long; stereome green; lamina pale brown, often darker at base, sometimes flushed reddish purple; gap and margins clear or marked reddish purple; outer bract usually hairy at base. Achenes minutely papillate, 0.6-0.8 mm long.