Plants 20–80 cm. Corms elongated into rhizomes, irregularly shaped (sometimes with thickened, fibrous roots). Stems piloso-puberulent to hirsute. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline 1-nerved, linear to linear-oblanceolate, 120–300 × 3–8 mm, gradually reduced distally to ± midstem, abruptly reduced to ± uniform bracts distally, essentially glabrous, gland-dotted (margins sometimes sparsely ciliate). Heads in dense, spiciform arrays. Peduncles 0 or 1–5(–10) mm. Involucres cylindro-campanulate, 8–10 × 4–5 mm. Phyllaries in 3–4(–5) series, ovate to oblong-oblanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, strongly unequal, usually essentially glabrous, sometimes sparsely strigose to pilosulous, margins with hyaline borders, ciliolate, apices acute (inner with slightly subterminal, ‘rolled’ apicula), ciliolate. Florets 6–10; corolla tubes glabrous inside. Cypselae 3–3.5 mm; pappi: lengths ± equaling corollas, bristles barbellate. 2n = 20.
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