Annuals, 20–200 cm. Stems simple or openly branched, loosely tomentose with fine single-celled hairs and villous with curled, septate hairs; teeth of wings to 25 mm, wing spines to 15 mm. Leaves: basal tapered to winged petioles, blades 10–25 cm, margins pinnately 6–10-lobed, abaxial faces tomentose, adaxial faces loosely tomentose and villous or ± glabrate; cauline sessile, shorter, less divided. Heads clustered in ± tight arrays of 5–20+ at ends of stems, usually sessile, 15–22 mm × 7–12 mm. Involucres cylindric to ellipsoid (appearing campanulate when pressed), 15–20 × 7–12 mm. Phyllaries linear-lanceolate, bases appressed, 2–2.5 mm wide, ± glabrate, and ascending, appendages 0.5–1.5 mm wide, narrowly scarious-margined, distally glabrous or minutely ciliolate, spine tips 1–2 mm, inner phyllaries with erect, straight, unarmed tips. Corollas pinkish, 10–14 mm; lobes 1.5–2.5 times longer than throat. Cypselae brown, 4–5 mm, finely 10–13-nerved; pappus bristles 10–15 mm. 2n = 54.
