Weak perennials (sometimes monocarpic, somewhat suffrutescent), 60–150 cm, odor slightly acrid; taproots stout, short (rosettes often atop stems to 15 cm, frequently branched, apparently often requiring several seasons before bolting, initial rosette rarely bolting). Stems (1–)3–8(–25), usually ascending or erect, sometimes decumbent (especially on bare sandhill slopes or dunes), frequently branched, densely stipitate-glandular (glands to 0.5 mm) (tips usually nodding before heads form). Leaves: proximal ( 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of stems) withering, turning brown to blackish before flowering and persisting; basal blades broadly spatulate, oblanceolate, or narrowly lanceolate to nearly linear, 100–180 × (8–)15–27(–35) mm, bases narrowly attenuate-cuneate, margins distally serrate-denticulate, coarsely toothed or serrate-denticulate and/or distally shallowly to conspicuously lobed, faces densely woolly and/or densely long-stipitate-glandular; cauline sessile, blades linear-oblanceolate to linear-or elliptic-oblong, (30–)45–110 × (7–)12–16(–26) mm, bases slightly auriculate to moderately auriculate-clasping, truncate, margins usually entire, sometimes distally coarsely toothed or serrate-denticulate, apices acute, mucronate to mucronulate, faces moderately hirsute (hairs 0.6–1.5 mm), densely long-stipitate-glandular (larger glandular hairs 0.3–0.9 mm). Heads 30–70(–200) (usually nodding in bud) in proximally leafy, compact to moderately open, corymbiform to paniculiform arrays (height usually less than 1 / 4 plant, branches stout, densely stipitate-glandular). Peduncles 0.5–11 cm, stipitate-glandular (glands 0.3–0.9 mm); bracteoles 1–10, linear lanceoate to linear, stipitate-glandular. Involucres campanulate to turbinate, 9–10 mm. Phyllaries 3–5 series, erect, linear-lanceolate, 0.7–1 mm wide, strongly unequal, apices usually acute, acuminate, sometimes aristate, inner sometimes obtuse to rounded, faces densely stipitate-glandular. Ray florets 18–28; laminae (9–)13–17(–19) × 2–3 mm. Disc florets 35–50; corollas 5.5 mm, lobes 0.6–1 mm. Cypselae 2.5–3.5 mm, without ridges, shallowly ribbed or smooth, faces sparsely long-strigose; pappi in 2–3 series, outer of linear scales 0.2–1 mm, inner of ca. 35 ± moderately clavate bristles 4.5–6 mm. 2n = 10.
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