Perennial; stems subscapose, to 30 cm tall, short-hirsute; basal leaves spatulate to oblanceolate, short-hirsute, to 8 cm long and 18 mm wide, entire or minutely denticulate; stem leaves few, lanceolate, somewhat clasping the stem, reduced upward to linear bracts; inflorescence racemose-paniculate, the heads few, peduncles pilose-hirsute and glandular; heads oblong, involucres 9-10 mm high, pilose-hirsute and glandular, florets yellow; achenes 4.5-5 mm long, tapering from base to apex, reddish to nearly black; pappus usually bright white (rarely tawny). Flowers August and September.