Annual, 1.5-7 dm tall, branched from the base, stems striate, glabrous; basal leaves opposite, upper stem leaves alternate, 2.5-3.5 cm long, pinnatisect, bearing a conspicuous gland at the base of each lobe; bracts below the head not lobed; flower heads 7-8 mm high; involucral bracts in two subequal series, the series united for to their length, margins of outer bracts free nearly to the base, outer bracts with 3-5 conspicuous glands and inner whorl with 0-3 glands; ray flowers (about 8), small and inconspicuous, yellow-orange, cleft apically; disk flowers (30-50), dull pale yellow, often tipped with crimson; pappus of two dissimilar series, the outer of 10 irregularly toothed scales, the inner of 10 smaller scales, each dissected into 3 hispidulous awns; achenes sparsely silky, weakly 4-5 angled, black, striate. Flowers in September.