Herbs 3-40 cm tall, perennial, caespitose, often in large clumps. Caudex much branched, apically covered with fibrous remains of old leaf bases, sterile leaf rosettes, and flowering stems. Stem erect, simple, densely sericeous or pubescent. Basal leaves sessile, narrowly linear, 3-15 × 0.1-0.3 cm, abaxially densely tomentose, adaxially sparsely pubescent to subglabrous, base sheathing stem, margin revolute and entire, apex acuminate. Stem leaves few, gradually smaller upward on stem. Capitulum solitary, terminal on stem. Involucre campanulate, 1.5-1.8 cm in diam. Phyllaries in 4 or 5 rows, sparsely to densely to sericeous-villous; outer phyllaries narrowly ovate, 10-12 × 2-3 mm, apically reflexed or erect, apex long acuminate; middle phyllaries narrowly ovate-elliptic, ca. 12 × 2 mm; inner phyllaries linear, ca. 12 × 1 mm. Corolla purple, 1.4-1.6 cm, sometimes gland-dotted, tube 6-8 mm, limb 6-9 mm, lobes 4-4.5 mm. Achene cylindric, 3-4 mm, glabrous, apex with a short crown. Pappus pale yellowish brown; outer bristles 1-3 mm; inner bristles ca. 9 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Sep. 2n = 32*.
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