Stout, pubescent or tomentose, often glandular, erect, branched herb, 1–6 ft. high. Stem and branches subterete, striate, pubescent, alate, wings continuous, entire. Leaves alternate, narrowly elliptical or elongate oblong, acute or obtuse, more or less narrowed at base especially the lower, sessile or lower sometimes narrowed into winged petiole, decurrent, more or less scabrous above, tomentose-pubescent or subscabrous beneath, dentate or denticulate; lower, including petioles, sometimes 10 in. long by 1 1/2 in. wide. Capitula widely campanulate, 1/2– 3/4 in. diam., many-flowered, on spreading or arching pedicels 1/4–1 in. long, in wide pyramidal terminal panicles. Scales of involucre multiseriate; inner linear, acute, glabrous or subglabrous, often purplish at tip; intermediate ones shorter, subglandular-tomentose with spreading or squarrose tips; outer shortest, spreading, tomentose. Receptacle flat, naked, 1/4 in. diam., tuberculate. Ray-florets filiform; mouth 3–4-dentate. Anther-base bidentate, often unequally so or very shortly sagittate, the lobes appressed to filament. Achenes appressedly pilose; hairs in longitudinal rows. Pappus sordid or whitish.
