Herbs 15-35 cm tall, perennial. Caudex stout. Stem single, erect, simple or branched from middle third or above, glabrous or tomentulose/floccose at nodes and below capitula. Basal and lower cauline leaves lanceolate to oblong, 10-30 × 0.5-2 cm, margin white, ± undulate, and membranous. Capitula solitary to few; peduncle not inflated. Involucre 3.5-6 cm. Phyllaries 8, lanceolate, equaling or shorter than florets and achenes with pappus. Ligules purple to mauve. Outer achenes 2-2.5 cm; body whitish, straight to ± curved, 1.8-2.2 mm in diam., tuberculate, with 5 fairly well-differentiated ribs; beak 5-10 mm, stout, apically ± inflated; pappus disk ± tomentulose. Pappus slightly fulvous, often with tinge of red, 2-2.5 cm. Fl. and fr. Apr-Jun. 2n = 12.
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