Perennial herb with short creeping rhizome; roots fleshy, fusiform; scapes 1–2 per plant, erect, unbranched, 20–27 cm high, tomentose, the white hairs intermixed with reddish glandular setae. Leaves all basal, ovate, 4–10.5 cm long, 1.2–5 cm wide, base gradually narrowing to a short sheath, margins thickened, slightly reddish and serrulate, apex acute, whitish tomentose beneath, glabrous above. Capitula solitary and terminal, radiate; involucre reddish, campanulate, 14–17 mm long; phyllaries 4–5-seriate, narrowly ovate, the longest 16–17 mm long, acute, with spiny-laciniate margins, araneose; receptacle scales oblong, 6.5–11 mm long, acute, the upper half reddish and with laciniate margins. Corolla bright red; ray florets more than 15?, tube 4–4.5 mm long, ray 10–18 mm long, to 2 mm wide, often lobed; disc florets more than 35, tube ± 8 mm long, lobes 4–4.5 mm long, anthers pale brown. Achenes not seen mature, 2–2.3 mm long, pubescent; pappus bristles few (± 5), distally flattened, 7–8 mm long.