Annuals (taprooted). Stems 1-20+, branched. Leaves abaxially glabrous or sparsely hairy, adaxially glabrous; basal leaves (absent at flowering) linear-spatulate, 1.5-6 × 0.05-0.19(-0.25) cm, proximal and mid cauline leaves linear, 1.5-4.6 × 0.02-0.07 cm, distal cauline leaves similar, smaller and becoming reduced, distalmost bractlike. Peduncles 1-11.5 cm, sparsely hairy. Heads 1-20+. Involucres 6-15 mm diam. Phyllaries abaxially glabrous; outer proximally yellow, distally green, lanceolate, 2.4-6.7 mm, apices acuminate-aristate; inner lanceolate, 4.2-7 mm, apices acuminate-aristate. Receptacles: pit borders spinulose-cuspidate at angles. Ray florets 5-13; tubes 2-3 mm, laminae 8-18 × 2.2-6.5 mm. Disc florets 30-90; corollas yellow, 3.5-4.5 mm; style branches yellow. Cypselae 1-2 mm; pappi of obovate to orbiculate, entire scales 0.3-0.6 mm. 2n = 36.

Flowering summer-fall (year round south). Dry sandy soils, especially in pinelands; 0-100 m; Ala., Fla., Ga., Miss.