Rhizome repent, somewhat woody, usually sarmentose. Stems usually caespitose, erect or ascending, 15-40 cm, slender, much branched or unbranched, densely ash-gray cottony tomentose; internodes short. Lower leaves persistent or caducous and lost by anthesis, smaller, apex obtuse; middle leaves expanding, linear, oblong, or oblanceolate-linear, 1.5-3.5 × 0.2-0.4(-0.7) cm, base attenuate, semiamplexicaul and somewhat decurrent, margin flat, apex acute or obtuse, with small cusp; upper leaves stenophyllous; all leaves slightly leathery, abaxially densely ash-gray or fulvous cottony tomentose, adaxially glabrous or arachnoid tomentose, 1-or 3-veined. Capitula 5 or more, arranged in corymbiform synflorescence terminal on stems; peduncle 2-6 mm. Involucre broadly campanulate or semispherical, ca. 5 × 5-6 mm; phyllaries 7-or 8-seriate; outer phyllaries ovate, 1-2 mm, cottony tomentose; middle ones yellowish white, elliptic, ca. 4.3 × 1.5 mm; innermost ones narrower, spatulate, with a claw ca. 2/3 of full length. Receptacle alveolate. Predominantly female capitula with outer florets female, with 3 or 4 male florets present in center; predominantly male capitula with male florets only. Corolla ca. 3 mm. Pappus as long as corolla; male florets pappus somewhat incrassate at tip of apex, serrulate. Achene oblong, 0.5-0.7 mm, with lax glandular spots. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct. 2n = 28*.
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