Perennial herb; stem up to 7 dm tall, leafy throughout, but the leaves progressively reduced upwards; leaves bright green, thin, lanceolate to narrowly triangular, up to 14 cm long and 5 cm wide, those at the base with petioles up to 7 cm long, the stem leaves sometimes without petioles often clasping the stem, abruptly sharp pointed at the tip, margins coarsely toothed, upper surface glabrous, lower surface sparsely pubescent; flower heads about 10 mm high and nearly as wide, nodding; phyllaries narrow, in one series; ray flowers absent; disk flowers yellow, numerous; pappus of numerous capillary bristles. Flowers July to September.