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Phyllaries purple-tipped, 6–8-seriate, closely appressed and overlapping, not or hardly spreading with age, obtuse or ± rounded mucronate, or (in subsp. brassii) tapering to an acuminate apex, pubescent or glabrescent and ± glandular outside, ciliate; the outer phyllaries c. 2 mm. long, ovate-lanceolate; the inner phyllaries up to 15 mm. long, linear.
Leaves ± crowded, ± overlapping ascending, up to c. 3.5 cm. long and usually less than 2 mm. wide, linear with margins ± revolute, sometimes up to c. 5 mm. wide and narrowly elliptic-lorate, glabrous to sparsely scabridulous.
Achenes 3–4 mm. long, subcylindric, tapering to the base, 5–6-angled with hispid ribs on the angles; outer pappus of short narrow scales, inner of whitish, or sordid, barbellate setae 6–8 mm. long.
A diffuse, or somewhat spreading, perennial herb to 60(120) cm. tall from a woody rootstock; stems annual, decumbent or ascending, 1-many, slender, often branched above, glabrescent, glandular.
Corolla purple, c. 10 mm. long, narrowly funnel-shaped; lobes c. 2 mm. long, linear, tapering to an acute apex, minutely glandular.
Capitula solitary at the ends of the ± numerous ascending branches.
Involucres 10–15 mm. long, obconic-campanulate.