Perennials, 3–12 cm; taprooted, caudex branches usually relatively short and thick, sometimes apparently simple. Stems erect to decumbent-ascending (greenish proximally), usually hirsute to hirtellous (hairs deflexed, attenuate, basal cells erect), sometimes proximally strigose (hairs ascending), sometimes slightly glandular. Leaves basal (persistent) and cauline; basal blades oblanceolate, 20–60 × 2–6 mm, cauline slightly reduced distally, mostly on proximal 1 / 2 of stem, margins entire (apices rounded to obtuse), faces strigose to loosely hirsutulous, eglandular. Heads 1(–3). Involucres 5–7 × 10–15 mm. Phyllaries in 2–4 series, hirsute to hirsuto-villous, eglandular. Ray florets 30–60; corollas blue, 6–10 mm, laminae tardily coiling. Disc corollas 3.5–4.5 mm. Cypselae 1.8 mm (immature), 2-nerved, faces sparsely strigose; pappi: outer of setae, inner of 20–25 bristles.
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