Subshrub 0.3–0.75 (–1.5) m high, to 2 m diam.; young stems stiffly erect to spreading, weakly striate, coarsely and densely scabrous; older stems with white ±corky bark. Leaves sessile to subsessile, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, (15–) 25–60 (–70) mm long, (5–) 6–8 (–20) mm wide, basally cuneate, serrate (sometimes subentire) or pinnatisect, acute, grey green; both surfaces densely and coarsely appressed-scabrous. Capitula usually solitary, in fruit 7–10 mm long, 8–15 mm diam.; peduncles stout, 10–12 (–18) cm long; outer bracts lanceolate, 4.0–4.5 mm long, acute, shorter than disc florets, densely and coarsely appressed-scabrous; inner bracts similar but broader; paleae linear, 6 mm long in flower, green. Ray florets c. 15; ligule 7–10 mm long, 2-lobed. Disc florets c. 50–100. Achenes obcuneate to obovoid, (2.5–) 3.0–3.5 (–5.0) mm long, 2.0 mm wide (excluding wing), 2-(disc achenes) or 3-angled (ray achenes), with angles bearing well-developed thick, subcorky or submembranous wings, often extended above into auricles, very shortly pilose apically; body of achene smooth or with an indistinct longitudinal vein or minutely tuberculate, brown with lighter wings. Pappus a ring of short laciniate scales, sometimes shortly fused at base, occasionally 1 (–3) extended into a short fragile awn.
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