Stems 1–3 m, glabrous or nearly so; lvs thin, lanceolate to lance-oblong or lance-ovate, 10–30 × 3–7 cm, long-acuminate, gradually narrowed to the base, finely serrate to subentire, glabrous or nearly so above, thinly pubescent with minute (rarely 0.3 mm) straight hairs beneath; infl loose, flattened to concave or irregular, 2–5 dm wide; fls 13–30; invol 4–7 mm, its principal bracts appressed, regularly imbricate, obtuse, rounded, or rarely apiculate, usually purple, arachnoid-ciliate or entire, commonly glabrous and not resinous on the back; pappus purple to brown or tan; 2n=34. Moist or wet woods, and becoming weedy in pastures; w. N.Y. to s. Mich. and e. Nebr., s. to S.C., Fla., and Tex. Ours is the widespread var. gigantea. (V. altissima)
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