Perennials (biennials-), 30-90 cm (caudices buttonlike, roots unbranched, fleshy-fibrous). Herbage loosely and sparsely arachnose to finely tomentose, unevenly glabrescent. Stems single. Leaves progressively reduced distally; petiolate; blades ovate or oblanceolate to oblong, 7-20 × 2-3 cm, bases broadly to narrowly tapered, margins repand-denticulate or sublaciniate to subentire (mid and distal leaves sessile, smaller, weakly clasping). Heads (6-)15-30+ in corymbiform arrays. Calyculi 0 or of 1-3+ oblong to linear bractlets (seldom more than 1.5 mm). Phyllaries ± 8 or ± 13, 4-8 mm, tips green or black. Ray florets 0 or 1-2; corolla laminae 4-7 mm. Cypselae glabrous. 2n = 40.

Flowering spring-early summer. Dry or drying sites in open woodlands, upper foothills and montane forests; 800-2500 m; Calif., Oreg.