Plants (15–)25–75(–90) cm; caudices woody, rhizomes short. Stems 1–5+, flexuous, sparsely to moderately hairy in arrays. Leaves: rosettes present at flowering; basal and proximal cauline tapering to winged petioles, blades ovate, (70–)100–140(–180) × (27–)40–60(–80) mm (petioles 1/4–1/2 total leaf length), margins serrate-serrulate [teeth (14–)21–33(–45)], abaxial faces glabrous or moderately hairy, more densely so on nerves, adaxial glabrous or sparsely hairy; mid to distal cauline sessile, blades narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 38–90(–150) × 10–30(–55) mm, reduced distally, becoming lanceolate in arrays, bases tapering, margins entire to serrate, apices acuminate to cuspidate, faces glabrous or sparsely hairy, abaxial glabrous or moderately hairy, more densely so along nerves. Heads 25–250, in short axillary and terminal racemiform clusters, lateral panicles (2–)7–31(–56) cm. Peduncles 0.5–5 mm, moderately to densely strigose; bracteoles 1–3, lanceolate, usually near base of involucres and grading into phyllaries. Involucres campanulate, 4.5–7(–8) mm. Phyllaries in ca. 3 series, strongly unequal, outermost 1–2 mm, innermost 3.7–4.7(–5.7) mm, linear-oblong, 1-nerved, apices obtuse to acute. Ray florets 1–5; laminae (2–)2.5–4(–5) × 0.7–2 mm. Disc florets 4–8(–11); corollas 2–3(–4) mm, lobes 1–1.6(–2) mm. Cypselae (obconic) 1–2(–3) mm, moderately to densely strigose; pappi 3–4.5 mm. 2n = 18, 36.
