Perennials 30-70 cm (caudices woody; herbage scabrous). Stems erect, moderately scabrous and/or glandular. Leaves: mid and cauline blades linear-oblong or linear-lanceolate, 2-6 cm × 3-10 mm, faces moderately scabrous and ± short-stipitate-glandular. Heads 3-8(-15) in racemiform to corymbiform arrays. Peduncles glandular-puberulent. Involucres turbinate-cylindric, 6-9 mm. Phyllaries in 3-5 series (often purplish at margins), ovate, margins eciliate, apices acute, abaxial faces moderately to densely puberulent and glandular. Rays usually 5 or 8, purple. Cypselae strigose; pappus bristles in 2 series, barbellate. 2n = 18.

Flowering Jul-Aug. Open meadows, aspen forests, rocky open slopes; 1100-3200 m; Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah.