Succulent perennial herb 75–140 cm high; stems often much branched, concolorous, glaucous when young. Leaves succulent, sessile, obovate to oblanceolate, 8–17 cm long, 2–6 cm wide, cuneate or attenuate into a petioloid base, margins entire, apex rounded, minutely obtusely apiculate, glabrous, glaucous at least when young. Capitula discoid, numerous in large lax spreading terminal paniculiform bracteolate glaucous cymes, nodding; involucre cylindrical, slightly contracted just below the apex, 11–18 mm long, 10–11 mm in diameter; bracts of calyculus few, lax, ovate or lanceolate, 7–8 mm long; phyllaries 7–9 or 13, usually 8, glaucous, tinged purple, 11–20 mm long. Ray florets absent; disc florets orange, dull orange-yellow or yellow, with strong musty odour, corolla 10–18 mm long, tube glabrous, expanded above the middle, lobes 1–1.3 mm long. Achenes glabrous, 6.5 mm long; pappus 7.5–11 mm long.