Perennials, 3–20(–30) cm; taprooted, caudices usually branched, retaining old leaf bases. Stems usually ascending to erect, moderately hirsute to hispidulous (hairs spreading-deflexed), minutely glandular at least distally. Leaves basal (persistent) and cauline (petioles prominently ciliate, hairs spreading, thick-based); basal blades 1–3-nerved, narrowly oblanceolate (often folding), 20–50(–80) × 1–5 mm, margins entire, faces strigose or hispidulous to hirsutulous, minutely glandular; cauline blades linear to linear-lanceolate, reduced distally to near heads. Heads 1(–2). Involucres 4–7 × 6–11 mm. Phyllaries in 2–3(–4) series (greenish), moderately hirsute, densely minutely glandular. Ray florets 20–40(–55); corollas blue, less commonly white to pink, 6–11 mm, laminae reflexing. Disc corollas 2.9–4.5 mm (throats tubular). Cypselae 1.8–2.5 mm, 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose; pappi: outer of inconspicuous, fine setae, inner of (13–)20–27 bristles.
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