Plants spreading to prostrate, 0.3-0.8(-1) × 0.5-8 dm. Leaves basal; petiole 0.5-2 cm; blade (0.3-)0.5-1.5(-2) × (3-)5-10(-12) mm, thinly pubescent adaxially, more densely so to tomentose abaxially. Inflorescences greenish to reddish, mostly flat-topped and open to dense; bracts 3, whorled, short-petiolate, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, acerose, 0.5-1.5 cm × 3-8(-10) mm, awns straight, 1-3.5 mm. Involucres usually congested in small terminal clusters of 1-3 at node of dichotomies, (4-)5-ribbed, weakly 3-angled, 2-2.5 mm, not corrugate, densely canescent; teeth (4-)5, essentially erect with longer, prominent, and thickened anterior one 2-4 mm, with straight awn 1-2.5 mm, remaining teeth smaller, 0.5-1 mm, with straight awns 0.3-0.8 mm. Flowers 1, exserted; perianth, cylindric, 2.5-3.5 mm; tepals connate 1/ 2/ 3 their length, dimorphic, entire, those of outer whorl spreading, broadly obovate and rounded apically, those of inner whorl erect, narrowly oblanceolate, 1/ 2 length of outer ones, acute apically; stamens slightly exserted; filaments 2.5-3 mm, glabrous; anthers yellowish, oblong, 0.5-0.7 mm. Achenes 2.5-3 mm. 2n = (40), 44, (46).
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