Annual, paniculately branched, scaberulous, with short crisp hispid hairs, subglutinous above, 1/3–2 ft. high; branches subterete, striate. Leaves linear or oblanceolate, deltoid or subacute at apex, usually apiculate, gradually narrowed towards the base, sessile, entire or with a few irregular remote teeth above, 1/2–1 1/3 in. long by 1/16– 5/16 in. wide; uppermost smaller, bract-like, subulate. Capitula campanulate, 18–30-flowered, 1/3– 1/2 in. long, solitary at the ends of the numerous pedunculiform branches. Scales of the involucre pauciseriate, acute, falling short of the florets; inner linear-lanceolate, with scarious margins; outer shorter, linear-subulate, often recurving. Receptacle alveolate; margins of alveoli toothed. Florets at first yellow, at length purple. Achenes oblong, 1/6 in. long, 10–12-costate, with scattered rather rigid hairs. Pappus biseriate, subfulvous; inner subplumose; outer 1/3 as long, subpaleaceous, multifid.
