Perennial herb 10–30(–40) cm high, subscapigerous; stems reddish, crispate-glandular. Basal leaves often reddish, sessile, oblanceolate or oblanceolate-spatulate, 5.5–13 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, narrowed into a basally expanded membraneous exauriculate petaloid base, margins sinuate-denticulate or bidenticulate, apex obtuse, minutely apiculate, glandular; stem leaves sessile, smaller, oblong, 2–4.8 cm long, 0.3–1 cm wide, subauriculate. Capitula discoid, erect, 2–6 in lax terminal corymbs; stalks of the individual capitula glandular; involucre 9–11 mm long, 5.5–7.5 mm in diameter; bracts of calyculus 4–6, lax, narrowly lanceolate, 2.5–7 mm long, glandular; phyllaries 14–20, purplish, 8–12 mm long, glandular. Ray florets 0; disc florets purple or mauve, corolla 6–7.5 mm long, tube expanded above the middle, glabrous, lobes 0.7–1 mm long. Achenes 3.5–4 mm long, ribbed, glabrous; pappus 6.5–7 mm long.