Herbs, perennial, 5-20(-30) cm tall, ± caespitose; rhizome short. Stems single to several, erect to ascending (procumbent), 0.8-1.5 mm in diam. at base, simple or sparsely branched above, branches ascending, sparsely villous-hirsute, moderately to densely strigillose, more densely so upward. Leaves: basal persistent at anthesis, rosulate, long petiolate, blade oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate, 2-6 × 0.2-0.7 cm, surfaces glabrate, base attenuate, margin sparsely mucronulate or entire, sometimes remotely narrowly serrate-mucronulate, scabrous, apex obtuse, mucronate; cauline sessile, blade linear or oblong-lanceolate, 1-3(-5) × 0.15-5 mm, surfaces strigillose to glabrate, base cuneate to rounded, margin entire, villous-ciliate, apex obtuse to acuminate; upper gradually reduced; uppermost linear, 3-5 mm. Capitula 2-6, in corymbose synflorescences terminal on stems and branches, sometimes solitary, 1-2 cm in diam.; peduncle long. Involucre hemispheric, 5-7 × 11-15 mm; phyllaries 3-seriate, green (outer) to purple, linear-lanceolate, slightly exceeding or equaling disk florets, moderately to densely scabridulous, sparsely glandular or eglandular, membranous, margin villous-ciliate and/or glandular (distally), apex acuminate, outer 2.7-4.2 mm, inner 4.8-6.8 mm, margin narrowly scarious, erose. Ray florets 3-seriate, lilac to pale purple, 6-7 × ca. 0.5 mm, tube 2.7-3.2 mm, ± hairy onto base of lamina, lamina spreading, flat when dry; disk florets yellow to greenish, 3.8-4.2 mm, tubes 1.6-1.7 mm, limb narrowly funnelform, lobes ovate, 0.4-0.6 mm, purplish. Achenes greenish straw-colored, oblong, flattened, 2-2.5 mm, densely strigose, veins orange. Pappus yellowish, outer scales 0.15-0.25 mm, inner bristles 3-3.5 mm. Fl. May-Nov.
Home