Plants 50-120 cm. Leaves densely puberulent (more than 12 hairs/mm ² ), abaxially moderately to densely canescent (indument often dense over entire plant). Phyllaries sparsely piloso-villous, sometimes more densely apically . 2n = 18.

Flowering late summer-fall. Moist soils, clearings, thickets, margins of forests and near streams, prairies; 100-500(-700) m; Alta., Man., Ont., Que., Sask.; Ill., Iowa, Mich., Minn., Nebr., N.Dak., Wis.

Disjunct populations of var. pubens are found in Alberta. The indument is often dense over the entire plant. The leaves are moderately to densely canescent abaxially.