Herbs (or subshrubs), perennial, erect, 1-3.5 m tall. Stems sparsely pubescent at base, densely velutinous-villous in younger parts especially synflorescence axes. Leaves subsessile, oblanceolate-oblong to elliptic-oblong, 6-18.5 × 2.5-8 cm, abaxially scabrid to tomentose, adaxially densely villous, base tapering, sometimes nearly semiamplexicaul, margin coarsely biserrate or dentate, apex acuminate; upper epidermal cells with undulate walls, lower with sinuate walls. Capitula in large, terminal, divaricate panicles, densely aggregated at ends of branches, clusters sometimes lax, subsessile, 5-7 mm in diam. Phyllaries slightly longer than florets, 1-7 mm, outer ones oblong-ovate, inner ones linear-oblong and with scarious margins, all acute, densely pubescent abaxially. Receptacle 1.5-2.5 mm in diam., flat, alveolate, pubescent. Corollas yellow, tubular; those of marginal florets filiform, 4-5 mm, with 2-4 lobes, occasionally pubescent on lobes; those of central florets 4.5-6 mm, with 5 lobes, lobes triangular, papillate, pubescent with colleters. Anther tails shorter than thickened portion of filament. Achenes pale brown, pubescent, ribbed. Pappus copious, white, ca. 5 mm. Fl. Jan-May.
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