Somewhat woody herb or subshrub 10–100 cm tall, erect or semi-erect; stems densely branched, tomentose with long simple spreading or ascending hairs.. Leaves sessile, oblanceolate or elliptic, 2.5–11 cm long, 0.8–5 cm wide, the lower cuneate-attenuate or attenuate at the base, at least the upper attenuate towards a slightly expanded and semi-amplexicaul base, all ± obscurely crenate-serrate or apiculate-serrate, rounded to subacute, thinly to densely ascending-pubescent above, thinly ascending-pubescent to densely tomentose beneath.. Capitula in lax few-headed terminal scorpioid compound corymbiform cymes; stalks of individual capitula ascending-tomentose, bracteolate in upper part; involucre cylindrical, 5–8 mm long; phyllaries 3–4-seriate, lanceolate, 3–9.5 mm long, attenuate, acute, rarely truncate-apiculate, tips often recurving in the outer ones, subequal, ascending-sericeous, especially the inner purple-tinged at the apex.. Corolla purple, violet or reddish purple, 4.5–8.5 mm long, lobes 1–2 mm long, with short stiff apical hairs.. Achenes 1.7–2.7 mm long, 4–5(–6)-angled, ascending-pubescent; outer pappus of lanceolate laciniate scales, 0.2–1 mm long, inner pappus white, 3–5.3 mm long.
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