Herbs (2-)7-23 cm tall, perennial, caespitose, forming large clumps. Caudex stout, many branched near ground level, densely covered by hard tunic of pale brown persistent remains of petioles. Stems numerous, 2-4 mm in diam., erect, simple. Rosette and lower stem leaves shortly petiolate; leaf blade narrowly ovate-elliptic to linear, (1.5-)4-7 × 0.2-0.6 cm, both surfaces grayish green and ± densely villous to sericeous, margin revolute and subentire or mucronulate, apex acute. Middle and upper stem leaves sessile, both surfaces grayish green to purplish red. Uppermost stem leaves ± aggregated, narrowly ovate, ovate-elliptic, or ovate-triangular, 1.3-3 × 0.6-1 cm, membranous, covering basal part of capitulum, both surfaces purplish red or pale purple, apex acuminate. Capitulum solitary. Involucre obconic to campanulate, 1.5-2.5 cm in diam. Phyllaries in 4-6 rows, dark purple to blackish, densely sericeous, apex acuminate to caudate; outer phyllaries narrowly ovate-elliptic, 5-8 × 2-4 mm; middle phyllaries narrowly ovate-elliptic, 8-10 × 1.5-2 mm; inner phyllaries linear, 12-14 × 1-2 mm. Corolla purplish red, 1.1-1.6 cm, tube 4.5-7.5 mm, limb 5.5-6.5 mm, lobes 3.5-4.5 mm. Achene cylindric, 3.5-4 mm, glabrous. Pappus straw-colored; outer bristles 2-3 mm; inner bristles 0.9-1.1 cm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Aug.
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