Leaves oblanceolate to lanceolate, c. 10–20 cm long, 2–6 cm wide, dark green, glabrous; lateral lobes in 4–6 pairs, deltoid; distal margins of upper 2 or 3 lobes entire or with 1 (–3) patent, acute lobules, proximal margins entire, usually convex; terminal lobe broad helmet-shaped in outline to triangular and ± trilobulate; petiole brown-purple, narrowly winged; midrib brown-purple throughout. Scapes c. 8–10 cm long at anthesis, c. 20 cm long in fruit, usually ebracteate, woolly in bud, glabrescent at flowering including below capitulum, usually rose-purple throughout. Capitula 2–3 cm diam.; outer bracts ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 3–8 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, erecto-patent and adpressed to inner series in lower ½; outermost series not laciniate, very narrowly white-bordered, not callus-tipped. Outer florets with ligule flat, exceeding involucre by 4–6 mm; anthers with pollen; stigmas greenish yellow. Achenes broadly fusiform, c. 3 mm long, c. 0.8 mm wide, with minute spines apically, the lower ⅔ smooth, straw-coloured; cone conical, c. 0.3 mm long; beak 6–8 mm long. Pappus c. 5 mm long.
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