Perennials, 5 –55(–70) cm; rhizomatous, fibrous-rooted, caudices usually simple, thick. Stems erect to ascending, hirsute or hirsuto-villous to densely strigillose (hairs loosely appressed, slightly crinkled), eglandular. Leaves basal (usually persistent) and cauline; basal blades linear-oblanceolate to broadly lanceolate or spatulate, (20–)30–160(–200) × 7–45 mm, cauline gradually reduced distally (bases distinctly subclasping, except when greatly reduced), margins entire, faces glabrous or glabrate, hirsute, or villous to sparsely villosulous, eglandular. Heads 1(–8). Involucres 6–9(–12) × 10–22(–25) mm. Phyllaries in 2–3(–4) series (faces and margins) usually glabrous, rarely sparsely villous (cross walls not colored), densely and evenly stipitate-glandular. Ray florets 30–80; corollas usually blue to rose purple or pink, sometimes white to pale blue, 8–16(–25) mm (mostly 1.5–3 mm wide), laminae coiling. Disc corollas 3.8–6 mm. Cypselae 2.5–2.8 mm, (4–)5(–7)-nerved, faces sparsely strigose; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 20–30 bristles.
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