Perennial herb up to c. 1 m tall, stems several from the base, simple below, branching above into the compound in­florescence, stout, glandular-setose, upper­most parts sometimes cobwebby as well, closely leafy. Leaves mostly 65 — 100 x 18—32 mm, smaller on the inflorescence branches, oblong or oblong-ovate, upper­most ovate-lanceolate, apex acute, mucro­nate, base cordate-clasping, shortly decur­rent, both surfaces glandular setose, mar­gins and midline sometimes thinly white-woolly (sometimes one or both surfaces thinly woolly: see notes below). Heads heterogamous, depressed-globose, c. 11 — 14 mm long, 22—30 mm across the radiating bracts, many in a large leafy spreading corymbose panicle. Involucral bracts in c. 9 series, graded, imbricate, much exceeding the flowers, glossy, bright yellow. Recep­tacle shortly honeycombed. Flowers c. 1000-1300, 65-135 ("female"), 1035-1235 ("bisexual"). Pappus bristles many, equalling corolla, tips barbellate, shaft scabrid, bases cohering by patent cilia.