Plants 30–45(–100) cm. Stems whitish, sparsely leafy, loosely tomentose. Leaves grayish green; blades 1–3-nerved, spatulate to narrowly oblanceolate, 20–30 × 2–3 mm, faces loosely hairy. Involucres 10–12 mm. Phyllaries 16–20(–30), (brownish costal nerves often evident) apices acute to obtuse, outer abaxial faces sparsely villous to tomentose, inner tomentulose. Corollas 7.5–9(–10) mm, tubes puberulent, lobes 1.3–1.6 mm, villous; style appendages longer than stigmatic portions. Cypselae distally pilose; pappi 6.5–10 mm. 2n = 18.