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Phyllaries stiffly coriaceous, numerous, many-seriate, imbricate, shortly whitish-or brownish-woolly outside, finely-ciliate or cobwebby on the margins; outer phyllaries from c. 2 mm. long, triangular to ovate mucronate; middle phyllaries c. 10 x 3 mm., oblong, tapering or ± abruptly narrowed to a mucronate apex; inner phyllaries narrower to c. 12 mm. long, linear.
Achenes c. 6 mm. long, subfusiform-cylindric, stramineous, with c. 7 narrow raised ribs, glabrous, glandular between ribs; outer pappus of fimbriate seta-like scales, 1.5–2 mm. long, inner of white plumose setae c. 8 mm. long.
Stems annual, erect, simple or sparingly branched above, brittle, ± angular, sharply strongly ribbed, becoming sulcate, sparsely appressed pilose, or glabrescent.
Capitula solitary, or 2–3 on bracteate stalks to c. 14 cm. long; bracts up to c. 10 mm. long, subulate.
Involucres c. 15 x 15–18 mm., broadly campanulate, later spreading-hemispheric to c. 30 mm. wide.
Corollas ?purple, c. 10 mm. long, narrowly tubular, widening into a limb with lobes 2–3 mm. long.
A scapiform perennial herb to c. 90 cm. tall, from a small fibrous-rooted woody rootstock.
Receptacle shallowly alveolate.
