Stiff, erect, freely-branching, shortly hoary-tomentose herb, 5–6 ft. high. Stem subterete, narrowly alate, clothed with short hoary floccose tomentum. Leaves alternate, linear-oblong or lanceolate, acute or subacute and callus-tipped, denticulate or subentire, sessile, decurrent, floccose, especially beneath, ranging to 2 1/2–3 1/2 in. or more. Capitula broadly campanulate, ∞-flowered, 1/2– 3/4 in. diam., on unequal hoary pedicels, up to 1 in. long, in few-headed cymes terminating the lateral branches, together forming a loose ample panicle. Scales of involucre multiseriate, inner linear-lanceolate, with a fine acumen, outer lanceolate, tomentose, lax or recurved at tip, often bristle-pointed, much shorter than the inner. Receptacle naked, 1/3 in. broad. Ray-florets filiform; mouth 3–4-dentate. Anther-base bidentate. Achenes pilose. Pappus tawny, obscurely scabrid.