a large bush, 6–8 ft. high; branches glabrous (in the type); leaves sessile, 3 1/4–4 in. long, 4–8 lin. broad, linear-lanceolate, subobtuse, glabrous, with a prominent midrib and thickened pink margins; heads sessile, 3 1/2–4 in. long, about 2 1/2 in. wide; involucral bracts 8-seriate; outer ovate-oblong, brown, silky-pubescent, with a white fringe of cilia and sometimes a white apical beard, inner oblong to linear, pubescent, green, innermost spathulate, clawed, with a black densely tomentose limb surrounded by a white or black beard, exceeding the flowers; perianth-sheath 2 in. long, slightly and very gradually dilated and 7-nerved and 3-keeled below; fulvously or rufously villous excepting at the very base which is glabrous; lip 7 lin. long, 3-awned, lateral awns 5 lin. long, filiform or capillary, long ciliate, cilia secund, purplish or fulvous; median awn 2 lin. long, filiform; fertile stamens 3; anthers 3 lin. long, linear, apical glands 1/2 lin. long, ovate, acuminate; filaments 1/4 lin. long, flattened; barren stamen 2 lin. long, acute, eglandular, with a filiform filament, 1 lin. long; ovary densely covered with long reddish-brown hairs: style 2 in. long, almost straight, tapering upwards, laterally compressed, pubescent, with a short ventral groove (gland?) at the base, ending below a small knob; stigma 3 lin. long, linear, acute, kneed at the junction with the style. null
