Subshrubs, densely leaved. Stems branched throughout, lower part woody, bark tan-colored to gray, upper part herbaceous, gray-green, densely white or cinnamon villosulous, ± glabrescent near base, distally sometimes ± densely stipitate glandular. Leaves linear, 10-15(-20) × 1-1.5 mm, reduced in size distally, surfaces arachnoid-tomentulose, densely so abaxially, sometimes adaxially glabrate, margin strongly revolute. Capitula usually radiate or sometimes discoid, in loose corymbiform synflorescences or solitary at ends of branches, 8-10 mm; peduncles slender, straight or ± curved; bracts small, linear, upper phyllary-like. Involucre campanulate, 5-7 × 8-10 mm; phyllaries 3-or 4-seriate, imbricate, glabrate or sparsely to moderately villous (particularly at base) to arachnoid, ± stipitate glandular, membranous, outer and mid smaller, ovate-lanceolate, inner oblong, margin broadly scarious, glandular and sparsely villous-ciliate or eciliate, apex acuminate, green or white, rarely ± purplish red. Ray florets 7-10, purplish to lavender, tube 2-3.1 mm, tube and lamina base hairy, lamina spreading, 6-10 × 0.8-1.3 mm; disk florets 15-18, 4-5 mm, tube 2-2.2 mm, hairy, limb funnelform, 2.5-3.5 mm. Achenes (2-)3.5-4 mm, sericeous, glandular (not visible at maturity). Pappus yellowish white. Fl. and fr. Jun-Sep.
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