Herb with several erect annual stems 50-100 cm tall arising from a perennial woody rootstock; stems usually unbranched, pubescent with closely appressed T-shaped hairs. Leaves sessile, held ± erect along the stems, ovate to lanceolate, 1.3-4 cm long, 0.5-1.6 cm wide, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire, distally undulate, apex acute to acuminate, apiculate, bright green and almost glabrous to pubescent above, silvery white with dense sericeous tomentum beneath. Capitula numerous in rather dense terminal compound corymbiform cymes; involucre campanulate-cylindrical, 4-6 mm long, 3-4 mm in diameter at flowering time; phyllaries in few series, purple-tipped, lanceolate, 3.5-6 mm long, acute or spiny-apiculate, silvery-pubescent. Corolla purple, 5-7 mm long, lobes 1.5-2 mm long, pubescent. Achenes subcylindric, 2-2.5 mm long, pubescent; outer pappus of laciniate scales 0.5-0.8 mm long, inner pappus of white bristles 4-6 mm long. Fig. 42/8-9, p. 206.
