Leaves lanceolate, 10–15 cm long, 25–50 mm wide, grey-green to yellowish green, sparsely arachnoid; lateral lobes in 3 or 4 pairs, deltoid often with ± linear attenuate tips; distal margins of upper 2–3 lobes usually laciniate, often with 1 or 2 longer ± parallel lobules, proximal margins entire; terminal lobe hastate, sometimes dentate to laciniate; petioles rose-purple, not winged; midrib similarly coloured, at least at base. Scapes 4–7 cm long at anthesis, 11–20 cm long in fruit, white-woolly in bud, glabrous at maturity except under capitulum, wine-red, usually ± throughout. Capitula c. 4.5 cm diam.; outer bracts ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 7–9 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, patent to reflexed, white-bordered (0.25–0.5 mm wide), sparsely ciliolate marginally, callus-tipped; innermost bracts linear, c. 15 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, callus-tipped. Outer florets with ligule flat, exceeding involucre by c. 10 mm; anthers with pollen; stigmas dull green. Achenes narrowly fusiform, 3.8–4.25 mm long, 0.5–0.7 mm wide, apically with slender spines ± 0.4 mm long, spreading at ± 45º to reflexed, dark red-brown, lower ⅔ muricate to base; cone 1–1.3 mm long; beak 8–10 mm long. Pappus 5–7 mm long.
Grows in disturbed grassy open forest, riverine woodland, farmland and urban areas, usually in clay soils.
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