An erect perennial herb, 0.45–1(2) m. tall from a thickened woody rootstock; rootcrowns densely brown-lanate, roots thong-like, spreading. Stems annual, 1-several, simple below, sparingly ± long-branched above, leafy, pale-brownish tomentose on young growth, pubescent to glabrescent on lower stem; hairs simple, long, matted; branches ascending, 3–25 cm. long. Leaves subsessile, discolorous, 4–11(12) x 1.4–3.5(4) cm., oblong-elliptic or oblanceolate, apex subobtuse or acute, base cuneate to obtuse, margins subentire to obscurely callose-tipped denticulate; lamina coriaceous, green drying brown, ± bullate and glabrescent on upper surface, greyish tomentose with a prominent reticulate venation on lower surface. Capitula subsessile, in clusters of (1)3–11; capitula-clusters few to numerous, sessile in axils of upper stem- and branch-leaves. Involucres 7–10(15) x 4–8 mm., oblong-campanulate. Phyllaries many-seriate, imbricate, tomentose outside where exposed; outer phyllaries from c. 1 mm. long, ovate to ovate-lanceolate; the inner phyllaries up to c. 8 mm. long, narrowly oblong, apices purple, acute mucronulate. Florets c. 10 per capitulum; corollas mauve, 4–7 mm. long, widening gradually upwards, lobes c. 1 mm. long. Achenes 3–3.5 mm. long, subcylindric, narrowed at base, 5–6-sided with ± obscured ribs, appressed hispid; outer pappus of linear-lanceolate scales c. 1 mm. long, inner pappus of stramineous barbellate setae 6–8 mm. long.