Stem erect, 40-100 cm tall, white lanate, 3-8 mm in diam. at base, with a circle of dense reddish brown lanate hairs. Basal leaves petiolate; petiole to 20 cm, winged or not, base slightly enlarged; leaf blade ovate-oblong, 10-19 × to 14.5 cm, both surfaces initially white lanate, glabrescent, adaxially or on both surfaces glabrescent, pinnately veined, with white prominent reticulate veins, base rounded or shallowly cordate, margin minutely denticulate, apex obtuse or rounded. Middle to distal stem leaves without petiole and sheath; leaf blade ovate or ovate-lanceolate, to 19 × 6-9 cm, base auriculate-amplexicaul or not, margin dentate, apex obtuse or acute. Distalmost stem leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, to 6 cm, base not amplexicaul, margin subentire. Compound corymbs or panicles, initially clustered, later spreading; branches to 17 cm, white lanate; leaflike and supplementary bracts linear, shorter; peduncles shorter or to 3 cm, white lanate. Capitula numerous. Involucre turbinate or campanulate-turbinate, 5-9 mm, mouth to 1 cm in diam., outside green, glabrous or initially white pubescent; phyllaries 5-8, in 2 rows, dark brown, elliptic or oblong, apex acute; inner phyllaries broadly pale brown membranous at margin. Ray florets 3-7, yellow; lamina linear-oblong, 1-1.6 cm × 2-3 mm, apex rounded; tube 2-3 mm. Tubular florets numerous, 5.5-6.5 mm; tube 1-1.5 mm. Achenes pale brown, cylindric, 4-6 mm. Pappus white or pale brownish, as long as tubular corolla. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct.