stem ligneous at base, herbaceous upwards, diffusely much-branched; branches terete, striate, scabro-pubescent or subglabrous, widely spreading, alternately decompound; leaves stem-clasping, rigid, scabrous above, cobwebby beneath, the lower incised or pinnatifid, with few sharply-toothed lobes, the upper small, oblong or obovate, sharply few-toothed; fl.-branches rod-like, scaly, bearing clustered heads in the axils of the scales, in an im- perfect raceme; inv. with a many-leaved, woolly calycle, its scales 8–10, glabrous, flat, lanceolate, acuminate, equalling the disc-fl.; rays 5–6, yellow; achenes short, terete, closely hairy. Root perennial. Stem 3–4 ft. high, bushy, quite woody at base; the branches widely spreading, slender, rod-like. Lower leaves 1–2 1/2 inches long, 1/2– 3/4 inch wide, either entire or few-toothed, or deeply pinnatifid; upper leaves 1/2 inch—rarely 1 in. long; those on the fl. branches reduced to scales. Heads small; inv. scales 3–4 lines long.