Perennials, 10-30(-40) cm (perennating bases subrhizomatous, spreading, sometimes knotty-woody). Herbage (often purple-tinged) glabrous. Stems clustered (arching upward to semiprostrate). Leaves evenly distributed or smaller and fewer distally (somewhat stiffish-succulent when fresh, proximalmost and distalmost often smaller, bractlike); petiolate; blades ovate or obovate to oblanceolate, 2-5(-7) × 1-3(-4) cm, bases ± truncate to tapered, margins laciniate to dentate or subentire. Heads 1-5+. Calyculi 0 or of 1-5+ usually lance-deltate to linear, sometimes foliaceous, bractlets (lengths mostly ¹ / 5 - ¹ / 2 phyllaries). Phyllaries (± 8) ± 13 (± 21), 5-12 mm, tips green or brownish. Ray florets ± 8; corolla laminae 8-12 mm. Cypselae glabrous or strigose-hirtellous, at least on angles. 2n = 40, 40+, 80.

The varieties are distinguished by morphologic tendencies plus their geographic ranges.