Erect or ascending herbs to 0.6 m high, sometimes leafier in lower 1/3 at anthesis. Taproot inconspicuous; secondary roots fleshy. Stems densely hispid, sometimes with a cottony overlay, with density reducing upwards, predominantly appressed-cobwebby near top of stem. Leaves 7–15 cm long, with l:w ratio c. 5–8, undivided or sometimes coarsely dentate to lobate with 3–6 triangular projections per side; base without auricles; margin entire or denticulate distally; upper surface hispid, with hairs rather long; lower surface glabrous except for hispid midrib, not purple. Capitula usually several per stem; calycular bracteoles 6–8, 3–5 mm long; peduncle and calyculus sometimes sparsely cobwebby at anthesis, with bracteole margins usually hispid; involucre (5–) 6–8 mm long, 2.8–3.5 mm diam.; bracts 12–15 (–18), glabrous or sparsely cobwebby. Florets 40–60. Achenes narrowly obloid-ellipsoid or more often slightly bottle-shaped, 2.5–3 mm long, red-brown or dark brown, with papillose hairs in broad bands; l:w ratio of hairs c. 3–4. Pappus 6–8 mm long.
Grows in sand or loam soils in grassland/herbfields, shrubland and woodland mostly at elevations over 1000 m, but sometimes lowland.
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