Annual or perennial herb 30-75 cm tall, many-branched; stems ascending, or the main stem prostrate with erect inflorescences, shortly crispate-pubescent with ascending hairs.. Leaves narrowly elliptic or (ob-)ovate, 2-9 cm long, 0.2-2 cm wide, base attenuate in proximal leaves, rounded in more distal ones, margins remotely serrulate, apex obtuse, apiculate, shortly finely pubescent, glandular, shortly ascending-ciliate on the margins.. Capitula in lax few-headed terminal and axillary corymbiform cymes; stalks of individual capitula ascending-pubescent; involucres hemispherical, 5-9 mm long and in diameter at flowering time; phyllaries 4-seriate, closely imbricate, pale green with a dark green and/or purple patch at the apex, white-pubescent and glandular near base and apex, narrowly ovate, 2-9 mm long, obtuse to acute, fimbriate-pectinate on the margins.. Corolla purple, mauve or blue, 5.5-7.5 mm long, lobes 2-2.3 mm long, shortly stiffly hairy at the apex.. Achenes prismatic, 1.5-3 mm long, 3(-5)-angled, glabrous; pappus 1.5-3 mm long, strongly barbellate.
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