Perennials (10–)50–150(–200) cm, colonial; fleshy long-rhizomatous. Stems 1, erect to ascending (stout, ± glaucous or reddish), glabrate to moderately hispidulous-hirsute (mostly in lines) distally. Leaves thick, firm, margins often revolute, scabrous, apices mucronate, abaxial faces glabrous, vein areoles conspicuous, ± isodiametric, adaxial waxy, glabrate to strigose, ± scabrous (distal cauline with axillary leaf clusters, sometimes becoming branches); basal withering by flowering, petiolate to subpetiolate (petioles winged, bases sheathing, ciliate), blades spatulate, 40–70 × 10–25 mm, bases attenuate, margins entire to shallowly serrate, apices rounded to obtuse; proximal cauline withering by flowering, sessile (subpetiolate), blades elliptic or lanceolate to oblanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 40–100(–150) × 3–18 mm, progressively reduced distally, bases cuneate, often slightly rounded, apices acute to attenuate, callus-pointed, abaxial faces scabrellous, adaxial glabrous or ± puberulent; distal sessile, blades ovate or elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate or linear, 10–85 × 2–17 mm, progressively reduced distally, bases cuneate, margins entire, apices acute or obtuse, callus-pointed. Heads in ample, foliaceous, usually dense, paniculiform arrays, branches ascending to spreading, ± racemiform. Peduncles 0.3–2 cm, ± pilose, bracts 5–12+, ascending or recurved-spreading, lance-elliptic to lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, foliaceous, distal closely subtending heads, not grading into phyllaries. Involucres campanulate, (4–)5–7(–8) mm. Phyllaries in 4–6 series, appressed, oblong-lanceolate to linear (innermost) (outer sometimes ± foliaceous), unequal, bases indurate 1/2–3/4, margins scarious, erose, hyaline, sparsely ciliolate (often ciliate basally), green zones lanceolate to lance-rhombic, apices sometimes spreading, acute to acuminate, mucronate, often reddish purple apically, faces glabrous. Ray florets (6–)20–35; corollas pale blue-violet to lavender or rose-purple, rarely white, laminae 5–10(–12) × 1–1.7 mm. Disc florets 20–30(–35+); corollas cream or light yellow turning pinkish purple, 4–6.5 mm, tubes shorter than narrowly funnelform throats, lobes lanceolate, 0.5–1.3 mm. Cypselae purple or stramineous with purple, obovoid, sometimes ± compressed, 1.5–2 mm, 4–5-nerved, faces thinly strigillose; pappi white, 4–6.5 mm. 2n = 32, 48, 64.
