Home
Stems simple to somewhat diffusely branched, finely ribbed, densely pilose below, pubescent above; indumentum of short appressed hairs intermixed with fewer erect flagelliform hairs, the latter ± sparse or absent on the upper stem and branches; branches sometimes arising from near the stem base, spreading-ascending, up to c. 25 cm. long.
Leaves subsessile, up to c. 10.5 x 4 cm., oblong or oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, sometimes panduriform, the largest mid-cauline; apex obtuse to acute; base abruptly rounded to truncate, or tapering to a narrow abruptly rounded base with a short petiole; margins entire to denticulate; lamina pilose on both surfaces or glabrescent.
Achenes 1.5–2 mm. long, narrowly angular-turbinate, 4–5-ribbed, setulose especially on the ribs, glandular and transversely rugose on the faces; outer pappus of white broad overlapping scales about one quarter the length of the achene; inner pappus of c. 10 brownish to purple-tinged barbellate setae 5–6 mm. long.
Phyllaries numerous, straight, attenuate-pungent and dark-purple to the apices, densely to sparsely white-strigose, long ciliate on margins, ± obscurely longitudinally ribbed; the outer series short and linear-lanceolate, the inner progressively longer and narrowly lanceolate.
Capitula numerous, corymbiform cymose at the ends of branches; stalks 0.2–7 cm. long, slender, pubescent.
An erect slender to laxly bushy annual herb, 15–60 cm. tall.
Involucres to c. 9 mm. long, broadly campanulate or obconic.
Corolla dark-purple, 8–11 mm. long.
Receptacle alveolate.
