Plants (15-)35-60+ cm. Stems proximally usually piloso-hirsute (hairs 1-8+ mm) and stellate-pubescent, sometimes glabrous, distally usually piloso-hirsute (hairs 1-8+ mm) and stellate-pubescent, rarely stipitate-glandular as well, sometimes glabrous. Leaves: basal 0(-5+), cauline (3-)5-10+; blades lanceolate, oblanceolate or narrowly oblong to elliptic, 50-100(-200) × 10-25(-35+) mm, lengths (3-)4-8+ times widths, bases cuneate, margins entire or denticulate, apices obtuse to acute, faces usually piloso-hirsute (hairs 1-5+ mm) and stellate-pubescent, rarely glabrous. Heads (3-)9-25+ in corymbiform to thyrsiform arrays. Peduncles usually stellate-pubescent, sometimes piloso-hirsute and/or stipitate-glandular as well, rarely glabrous. Calyculi: bractlets 5-13+. Involucres campanulate, 8-10 mm. Phyllaries 12-21+, apices rounded to acute, abaxial faces piloso-hirsute, stellate-pubescent, and stipitate-glandular. Florets 20-45+; corollas yellow, 10-12 mm. Cypselae (red-brown or black) columnar, ca. 3 mm; pappi of 32-40+, white or stramineous bristles in ± 2 series, 6-7 mm.

Flowering Jun-Sep. Disturbed sites, openings in pine forests and sagebrush, borders of meadows; 400-3000 m; Alta., B.C.; Calif., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.