Plants 10–40 cm. Leaves basal and cauline, basal petiolate, blades 3-nerved, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 5–12 cm × 6–30 mm, distal cauline slightly smaller, oblanceolate, faces concolor or weakly bicolor, grayish, thinly woolly. Heads (10–60+) in compact, spiciform (leafy-bracteate, sometimes interrupted) arrays (1.5–14 cm, occupying 1/8–1/4 of plant heights, primary axes usually not visible). Involucres cylindro-campanulate, 5.5–6 mm. Phyllaries brown to reddish brown with narrow pale center and base. Cypselae cylindric, minutely strigose; pappus bristles basally connate, falling together. 2n = 56.