A low-growing perennial herb, 10–30 cm. tall from a slender woody rootstock. Stems annual 1-many wiry, usually branching above, leafy, pubescent. Leaves sessile, 1.5–4 x 0.3–0.7 cm., oblanceolate, acute or obtuse at the apex, tapering to the base, entire or remotely serrulate, sparsely puberulous and gland-pitted; upper cauline leaves decreasing in size and becoming strap-shaped. Capitula few to numerous, corymbiformly cymose, stalks slender up to c. 8 cm. long. Involucres up to c. 6 mm. long, obovoid to broadly campanulate when older. Phyllaries ± lanceolate, the outer from c. 2 mm. long, the inner up to c. 6 mm. long, purple-tipped, pubescent Receptacle shallowly alveolate. Corolla purple, c. 6 mm. long, narrowly funnel-shaped. Achenes c. 1.5 mm. long, turbinate, 4–5-angled or-ribbed, hispidulous, especially on the ribs, rugulose between the ribs; outer pappus of purple-tinged or sordid, overlapping, lanceolate-acuminate scales usually shorter than the achene; inner setae usually purple-tinged, 3.5–4 mm. long, barbellate.
