Herbs 30-45(-60) cm tall, perennial. Stem solitary, 0.8-1.5 cm in diam., erect, simple, covered at base with lacerate remains of leaf sheaths. Leaves shortly petiolate; leaf blade narrowly ovate to narrowly elliptic, 10-20 × 1-3 cm, both surfaces green and scabrous, abaxially glabrous, adaxially sparsely villous to subglabrous, base cuneate, margin dentate, apex acute to acuminate. Capitula 7-16, in a dense racemiform 10-25 cm synflorescence, sessile or shortly pedunculate, subtended by narrowly triangular-ovate herbaceous bracts. Involucre campanulate, 1.5-2.5(-3) cm in diam. Phyllaries in 3 or 4 rows, green but dark on midvein and apically, narrowly triangular-ovate, 1.5-2.2 × 0.2-0.4 cm, villous, apex acute to acuminate. Receptacle with apiculate papillae or short to 3 mm bristles. Corolla purple, 1.5-1.7 cm, tube 8-9 mm, limb 7-8 mm, lobes 4-4.5 mm. Achene brown, cylindric, 5-6 mm, ribbed, apex with a short crown. Pappus straw-colored; outer bristles 2-5 mm; inner bristles 1.3-1.4 cm. Fl. and fr. Jun-Jul. 2n = 26, 36.
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