Herbs 20-60(-80) cm tall. Stem erect, sparsely branched above middle, striate, glabrous. Leaves thick, glabrous, margin sharply toothed. Basal leaves petiolate; petiole 2-5 cm; leaf blade elliptic to obovate, 4-6 × 1.5-2 cm, base attenuate, apex obtuse to acute. Stem leaves sessile, oblong to lanceolate, base cuneate to rounded and sometimes semiamplexicaul, apex acute. Capitula few, corymbose to laxly paniculate. Involucre globose to ovate, 1-2.5 cm in diam. Phyllaries in 4 or 5 rows, green to yellow-green, leathery, apex sometimes with purple tinge or with dark triangular or semilunar spot; outer and middle phyllaries suborbicular, ovate, or oblong, 5-15 × 4-7 mm, with a narrow faintly delimited membranous margin, apex rounded; inner and innermost phyllaries elliptic to linear-lanceolate, 15-19 × 1.5-5 mm, apically hyaline to scarious, apex obtuse. Corolla 1.6-2 cm. Achene brown, narrowly ellipsoid-cylindric, 5-6 × 1-1.5 mm, sparsely pubescent and early glabrescent, not ribbed, apex rounded. Pappus elements white, 5-7 mm, serrulate, easily falling off. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct.
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