Perennials (fibrous rooted). Stems 1-4+, branched. Leaves abaxially hairy, adaxially glabrous or sparsely hairy; basal (present or absent at flowering) spatulate, 2.8-10.4 × 0.5-1.3 cm; proximal cauline linear-spatulate, 1.5-5.5 × 0.2-0.7 cm; mid and distal cauline similar, smaller, distalmost bractlike. Peduncles 13.5-24 cm, hairy. Heads 1-4. Involucres 15-25 mm diam. Phyllaries abaxially hairy; outer light green proximally, dark green distally, ovate, 4-7.2 × 2.1-2.9 mm, apices broadly acuminate; inner yellow, lanceolate, 5.1-11 × 1.5-2 mm, apices acuminate. Receptacles: pit borders toothed to almost entire at angles. Ray florets 8-22; corolla tubes 3-5 mm, laminae 12-30 × 3.2-5.3 mm. Disc florets 50-180; corollas yellow to orange-red, 5.5-8.2 mm; style branches yellow. Cypselae 1.3-2.2 mm; pappi of lanceolate, entire or apically lacerate scales 1.3-2.2 mm. 2n = 72.

Flowering summer-fall. Moist to dry pinelands and savannas; 0-100 m; Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C.