Perennials, 3–25(–35) cm; rhizomatous, fibrous-rooted, caudices crownlike, sometimes branched. Stems ascending, sparsely to densely villous or tomentose, especially distally (hair cross walls often purplish black), minutely glandular. Leaves basal (persistent) and cauline; basal oblanceolate to subspatulate, 20–60(–100) × 3–6(–10) mm, cauline gradually reduced distally or little reduced on proximal 1/2, rarely all bractlike, margins entire, faces sparsely villosulous to glabrate, sometimes sparsely minutely glandular. Heads 1. Involucres 8–10(–11) × (10–)15–20(–30) mm. Phyllaries in 2(–3) series (reddish purple), densely lanate (hairs tangled, soft), glandular apically. Ray florets 100–200; corollas purplish to pink or white, 3–6(–8) mm, laminae erect (filiform, 0.3–1 mm wide), not coiling or reflexing. Disc corollas 3.8–5 mm. Cypselae 1.8–2.2 mm, 2-nerved, faces finely strigoso-hirsute; pappi: outer of setae (inconspicuous), inner of 20–30 (accrescent, surpassing disc corollas and involucres in fruit) bristles. 2n = 18.
