A perennial herb up to 1.2 m tall, stems simple below, branching above into the compound inflorescence, glandular-pubescent, sometimes cobwebby, winged, leafy. Leaves up to 15 x 4 cm, oblong in outline, sinuate or pinnatifid, lobes more or less rounded in outline, irregularly toothed, teeth spine-tipped, margins ciliate-spinescent, sessile, clasping, decurrent on the stem in broad, toothed spiny wings, upper surface beset with short stiff spines, lower glandular-pubescent, sometimes cobwebby. Heads discoid, 1.5-2.5 cm across, many in a corymbose panicle. Involucral bracts linear, up to 1 mm broad, margins and tip spiny, cobwebby on the back or glabrous. Flowers yellow. Achenes 1.5-2.5 mm long, turbinate, glabrous. Pappus scales c. 1 mm long, obtuse.
Perennial herb, 0.4-1.2 m high; stems simple below, branching above into compound inflorescence, glandular-pubescent, sometimes cobwebby, winged, leafy. Leaves oblong in outline, sinuate or pinnatifid, irregularly toothed, teeth spine-tipped, margins ciliate-spinescent; sessile, clasping, decurrent on the stem in broad, toothed spiny wings, upper surface beset with short stiff spines, lower surface glandular-pubescent, sometimes cobwebby. Capitula discoid, many in corymbose panicle; involucral bracts linear, margins and tip spiny, cobwebby on the back or glabrous. Florets yellow. Flowering time Jan., Feb. Pappus of obtuse scales. Cypselae turbinate, glabrous.