Coarse herb or shrub, the branches supported by other vegetation, 1.2-3.6 m tall; stems densely tomentose with shaggy hairs.. Leaves opposite, sessile, narrowly ovate or elliptic, 9-15 cm long, 2-6 cm wide, base rounded to cordate and semiamplexicaul, margins serrate, apex acute, shaggy-tomentose on the midrib and otherwise thinly finely softly pubescent above, finely and densely tomentose beneath.. Capitula numerous in copious terminal and upper axillary corymbose cymes, stalks of individual capitula densely shaggy-pubescent; involucres 3-4 mm long; phyllaries 3-seriate, (narrowly) ovate, pungent, darker centrally below apex, pubescent, the inner acute and 5 mm long.. Corolla mauve or lilac, 5.5-6 mm long, lobes 2-3 mm long.. Achenes 1.6 mm long, 6-9-ribbed, the grooves densely glandular, glabrous; pappus of few caducous bristles 2 mm long.
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