Subshrubs, spreading and matted, not scapose, 0.8-1.2(-1.5) × 1-2.5(-3) dm, grayish-or reddish-tomentose to floccose, mostly reddish. Stems slightly spreading or erect, often with persistent leaf bases, up to 1/ 4 height of plant; caudex stems absent or compact; aerial flowering stems spreading to erect, slender, solid, not fistulose, 0.1-0.5(-0.6) dm, slightly tomentose to floccose. Leaves cauline, 1 per node or fasciculate; petiole 0.1-0.2 cm, tomentose; blade oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 0.5-0.8(-1) × 0.1-0.2 cm, densely white-tomentose adaxially, floccose and greenish adaxially, margins slightly revolute or merely thickened. Inflorescences cymose, usually compact, 0.5-1.5 × 0.1-2(-25) cm; branches dichotomous, sparsely tomentose to floccose; bracts 3, scalelike, linear, 1-1.5 mm. Peduncles absent. Involucres 1 per node, narrowly turbinate, 1.5-3 × 1-1.5 mm, floccose; teeth 5, erect, 0.3-0.5 mm. Flowers 1.5-2(-2.5) mm; perianth white to rose, glabrous; tepals connate proximal 1/ 5, dimorphic, those of outer whorl nearly orbiculate, 2-2.5 mm wide, apex slightly notched, those of inner whorl oblanceolate, 1.5-2 mm wide; stamens slightly exserted, 2-3 mm; filaments pilose proximally. Achenes light brown, 2-2.5 mm, glabrous except for papillate beak.
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