Annual herb to 30 cm high; stems green or purple-tinged, branched, cylindrical, slightly ribbed, thinly scabridulous.. Leaves alternate, sessile, narrowly lanceolate to linear, 1.5–3.7 cm long, 0.1–0.4 cm wide, base slightly narrowed, margins entire or with a few callose teeth, apex obtuse, scabridulous.. Capitula 7–10 mm long, solitary and terminating branchlets, the leafless part of the branchlet to 15 cm long and thinly pubescent; phyllaries green tipped with orange or brown but drying a vivid green, 4-seriate, 2–6.5 mm long, 1–1.4 mm wide, acute or obtuse, ciliate and puberulous; receptacle flat to convex, not toothed.. Ray florets yellow turning orange to dull red but drying a vivid green, 1-seriate, tube 2.3–2.5 mm long, rays 3.5–4 mm long, 0.8–1 mm wide, rounded, style not seen; disc florets with tube 2.5–3 mm long, lobes 0.5–0.6 mm long; anthers 1–1.2 mm long with obtuse base and lanceolate appendages; style 3–3.5 mm long, with flattened branches tipped by papillose triangular appendages.. Achenes obovoid, flattened and 2-ribbed, 1.7–1.9 mm long, sparsely pilose; pappus of white barbellate setae 3–4.5 mm long.
Home