Herb forming very large tufts with lf-sheaths densely imbricate around stem. Lamina (10)-15-25-(40) × 4-5-(7) cm., rather thick, coriac.; oblong to broad-oblong to sublanceolate; upper surface glab. or nearly so, except evident midrib and main veins; lower surface and margins densely clad in rich to pale ferruginous soft velvety tomentum, midrib prominent, purple, soon glab. Apex obtuse or sts subacute, margins us. hidden by tomentum, narrowing to purplish petiole (5)-10-15 cm. long, merging into sheath 5-10 × 1-2 cm. with floccose white tomentum without and silvery pellicle within. Scape very stout, ± flattened, 20-50 cm. long, with loose ferruginous tomentum. Bracts few, towards upper part of scape; lamina linear-subulate, up to c. 6 cm. long. Capitula ± 4-5 cm. diam.; phyll. ∞, subulate-linear, acute, up to c. 2 cm. long, clad in pale brown to ferruginous spreading hairs. Ray-florets ∞, up to 2 cm. long, narrow-elliptic, limb ± pilose in lower part, glab. in upper, 3-toothed. Achenes glab., 4-5 mm. long, cylindric, grooved. Pappus-hairs up to 8 mm. long, white, slender, finely barbellate.

n = 54

Woody-based herb with short branchlets arising from a multicipital stock, usually just below the soil surface; living leaves in rosettes at the tips of branchlets; the whole plant forming a clump of few to many rosettes. Leaf sheaths densely imbricate and compacted into pseudostem. Leaf lamina (5)- 10-21-(30) × (1.5)-4.5-6.5-(9) cm, coriaceous, at first erect but later decumbent, lanceolate, elliptic, oblong to sometimes oblanceolate; upper surface often sulcate, concolorous, deep green, glabrous or with whitish hairs especially along the midrib; lower surface densely clad with thick femigineous or deep buff tomentum; tip acute, margins entire, rimmed with femigineous hairs; base obliquely cuneate or truncate; petiole usually short, sometimes up to 1/3-2/3 lamina length, purple, often clad in floccose whitish hairs. Scape purple, clad in buff or ferrugineous tomentum, up to 30 cm long; bracts numerous, erect, linear; monocephalous. Capitula up to 6 cm diam. Phyllaries in several series, linear-subulate, erect, clad throughout with brown tomentum. Ray florets c. 75, ligulate, the limb linear-lanceolate, white. Disc florets c. 160, funneliform, yellow; tube with eglandular, biseriate hairs. Achene fusiformcylindric, strongly ribbed, 5 mm long, glabrous. Pappus unequal 6-7 mm long, of c. 30 bristles.