Stem solitary, erect, 8-20 cm tall, ca. 3 mm in diam. at base, proximally glabrous, distally densely blackish gray pilose and white puberulent, purplish red. Basal leaves petiolate; petiole purple, 0.5-4 cm, glandular pilose or glabrous, base sheathed; leaf blade ovate-lanceolate, 3.5-7 × 1.5-3.5 cm, both surfaces densely glandular pilose or intermixed sparsely initially white puberulent, glabrescent, pinnately veined, base broadly cuneate to truncate, margin entire and triangular-dentate, apex acute to acuminate. Stem leaves 2-4, sessile, lanceolate to linear, base semiamplexicaul. Capitula 1-3, nodding. Involucre hemispheric, 8-12 × to 15 mm, outside densely blackish gray pilose and white puberulent; phyllaries 12-16, in 2 rows, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 2-4 mm, apex acuminate; inner phyllaries membranous at margin. Ray florets yellow; lamina oblong, 1.5-2 cm × 3-6 mm, apex obtuse; tube 4-5 mm. Tubular florets numerous, dark yellow, 6-8 mm; tube ca. 2 mm. Pappus white, or base sometimes reddish brown, as long as tubular corolla. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep.