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Phyllaries ± loosely arranged, c. 4-seriate, extending briefly onto the capitulum stalk, longitudinally ribbed, tomentose where exposed, purple-tipped; outer phyllaries from c. 2 mm. long and subulate; middle phyllaries ovate-elliptic and ± recurved acuminate-attenuate at the apex; inner phyllaries narrower, up to c. 14 mm. long, elliptic-linear, tapering to a finely pointed, ± curved, 1–5 mm. long dp.
Achenes pale-brown or stramineous, 3–4 mm. long, narrowly subcylindric-turbinate, somewhat 4–5-angular, sparsely glandular puberulous; outer pappus short, consisting of few 1-2 mm. long linear scales or paleaceous setae, inner pappus of whitish or sordid, barbellate to subplumose bristles 6–9 mm. long.
Stems annual scapiform, usually solitary, simple below the much branched synflorescence, with large leaves arising at or near the base and a few much smaller leaves on the stem above these, obscurely few-ribbed, densely brownish-tomentose.
Capitula numerous, in terminal clusters in a paniculate arrangement up to c. 25 cm. across, synflorescence branches up to c. 25 cm. long, tomentose, capitula stalks 0.1–7 cm. long.
Corollas purple, 7–11 mm. long, narrowly cylindric, widening slightly above, lobes with few to many sericeous hairs c. 1 mm. long.
A robust erect perennial herb to c. 85 cm. tall from a woody rootstock, often flowering before, or with the young leaves.
Involucres 10–20 x 12–20 mm., obconic-campanulate, spreading.
Receptacle shallowly alveolate.
