Herb 17–100 cm tall; rootstock small, woody; stems finely ascending-pubescent, leafy. Leaves narrowly oblanceolate, 6–15 cm long, 0.8–1.5 cm wide, sessile with sheathing base, subentire, acute, finely pilose and scabridulous. Glomerules solitary (rarely in pairs or 3) and terminal, 3–3.5 cm in diameter, surrounded by numerous bracts resembling reduced leaves, the bracts to 3 cm long; involucre 10–13 mm long, with 3–4 florets; phyllaries lanceolate, 7.5–9.2 mm long. Corolla white or white with slight pink tinge, 8.5–10 mm long, lobes 1.5–1.7 mm long. Achenes 3–4 mm long, setulose; pappus straw-coloured, 6–8.5 mm long.